Prospect Info: LAK Draft (2nd, 2020) C Quinton Byfield - Sudbury Wolves, OHL

[KINGS17]

Had a rough day at work. Then Trump comes out and stops any talks regarding Stimulus. My stocks tank. Hey at least I can celebrate the Kings taking Stutzle.
Nope.

No one else had anything to do with ending the stimulus talks? I mean all he had to do was give them everything they wanted, right?

Byfield has been compared to Kopitar, so why would the Kings want him, right?

 

[KINGS17]

Love how the McKenzie changed his tune on the pick a minute before. That was their rallying cry for freaking months. Gospel spoken by the Canadian treasure himself. I remember one of those clowns posting Kings local reporters vs McKenzie? I'll take Bob's word. But as always, local vs national every time.

I know my country better than the Greeks, I think.

 

[KINGS17]

Straight to Venice for QB.

Ah, Venice! (I hope not, that place is turning into a dump.)

 

[KopitarFAN]

Another factor when it comes to where should he play, how long is the NHL season gonna be? If it's 70+ games you can make a pretty good case for him to play in the NHL, but now that we know they are shooting for January 1st, which likely means later, is that feasible? If it winds up being 48 games or something, then that's just a waste.

 

[Statto]

Dillman had us picking Stuzle.

No. She said that she would pick TS but that she thought the team would take Byfield.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Anatomy of a Draft Pick – How the Kings Decided on Byfield

Some good quotes from Yannetti on the process.

 

[Statto]

Another factor when it comes to where should he play, how long is the NHL season gonna be? If it's 70+ games you can make a pretty good case for him to play in the NHL, but now that we know they are shooting for January 1st, which likely means later, is that feasible? If it winds up being 48 games or something, then that's just a waste.

I take it when you say waste, you mean for his ELC and I see your point but I think that may be a hit we have to take. A shortened season may actually be very good for a number of our young guys as it means they won’t get worn down by an 82 games schedule as can sometimes happen. Regardless, with Byfield we have to do whatever is best for his development, ignoring the contract implications. By ‘best’ I means whatever ensures he reaches his ceiling.

 

[kevsh]

One minor thing about QB - he didn't come from a hockey family. Therefore, no Hockey Dad or Mom pushing him like so many do.

He plays hockey because he loves it, which means likely his talent comes purely from his own passion for the game, motivation and work ethic.

Now if Anze can just convince him to use a longer stick, not only should it improve his game overall but his back will thank him when he's 40.

 

[lumbergh]

Anatomy of a Draft Pick – How the Kings Decided on Byfield

Some good quotes from Yannetti on the process.

Particularly this part:
"Now, Blakey has a plan. And if two guys are close, whoever fits into the mold of how he wants the team to play becomes the obvious choice. It can be razon thin and the choice can be obvious; or it can be razor thin and the choice can be hard. It’s just circumstance. In this case, while extremely razor thin close between two players, the choice for Byfield was easy because the team is being built a certain way. Todd [McLellan] is going to have the team playing a certain way and Blakey is going to help build the team to play that certain way. And these type of players are going to help Rob and Todd win.”

 

[KINGS17]

How many times are people like you going to try to shoehorn your demented support of Donlad the rapist into our hockey forum? The House passed a stimulus package in MAY, MAY ffs. The WH and the senate refuse to negotiate. #civics

If you were planning on retiring today, yesterdays stock market performance matters. Otherwise, it'll recover. Hell, I'm old enough to remember when Bush decimated my portfolio in 2008.

I'm pumped the Kings picked Byfield.

Hey, I didn't bring his name into this discussion. I simply pointed out there are two sides in every negotiation.

People like me? You mean people who don't agree with you.

 

[KopitarFAN]

I take it when you say waste, you mean for his ELC and I see your point but I think that may be a hit we have to take. A shortened season may actually be very good for a number of our young guys as it means they won’t get worn down by an 82 games schedule as can sometimes happen. Regardless, with Byfield we have to do whatever is best for his development, ignoring the contract implications. By ‘best’ I means whatever ensures he reaches his ceiling.

That's just not how this works anymore, if he plays anywhere close to what we believe him to be capable of, he's walk gonna walk right from the ELC to $10M, so those years are just too important to cast aside.

Note: Jack Eichel had 177 points in 209 games (yes, i'm aware that's very good) and got $10M, you don't have to be Connor for that to happen.

 

[KINGS17]

That's just not how this works anymore, if he plays anywhere close to what he believe him to be capable of, he's walk gonna walk right from the ELC to $10M, so those years are just too important to cast aside.

I agree, if the Kings have any hopes of contending again with Kopitar and Doughty on the roster, it will be with Byfield on an ELC. There is no need to burn a year off his ELC on a throw away 48-game (or whatever it turns out to be) season.

The good news is the Kings can become contenders with Byfield on a post-ELC and without Kopitar on the roster in four seasons. For the Kings long term future it might be advantageous for Byfield to develop at a pace similar to what MacKinnon did in Colorado, then they can get him on a better deal with his second contract.

 

[kevsh]

Unless he's clearly not ready, Byfield should be on the club this year, not even a question. Shortened season or not.

If you're a GM sending a player back to junior primarily not to burn a year off his ELC you're doing it wrong.

1) If QB wants to be on the big club and proves he's ready, then sending him back would be a transparent sign that you're more worried about how much you're paying him than what he thinks and wants. Way to get off to bad start with a potential franchise player.
2) The sooner he starts his mentorship under Kopitar the better.
3) If it's all about money, then you'll possibly get a better RFA deal if his 3 ELC years start when he's 18 rather than 19. (Just ask the Maple Leafs re: Marner as one example. That 3rd year cost them a few million AAV when he jumped from 69 points to 94).

Btw, Bettman is pushing for a full season and unless something with Covid goes drastically wrong - which is certainly a very real possibility - you'd be a fool betting against him.

 

[KopitarFAN]

Unless he's clearly not ready, Byfield should be on the club this year, not even a question. Shortened season or not.

If you're a GM sending a player back to junior primarily not to burn a year off his ELC you're doing it wrong.

1) If QB wants to be on the big club and proves he's ready, then sending him back would be a transparent sign that you're more worried about how much you're paying him than what he thinks and wants. Way to get off to bad start with a potential franchise player.
2) The sooner he starts his mentorship under Kopitar the better.
3) If it's all about money, then you'll possibly get a better RFA deal if his 3 ELC years start when he's 18 rather than 19. (Just ask the Maple Leafs re: Marner as one example. That 3rd year cost them a few million AAV when he jumped from 69 points to 94).

Btw, Bettman is pushing for a full season and unless something with Covid goes drastically wrong - which is certainly a very real possibility - you'd be a fool betting against him.

That's about the only thing that holds up, the rest is speculative nonsense.

You make him sound like he's Jonathan Bernier, and he's just gonna pout if he doesn't make the team as an 18 year old, a super young 18 year old at that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Not gon lie the potential is very exciting for sure and difficult to turn down someone with his size speed and skill but I fear his size was what allowed him to dominate his peers and Stutzle man he was a magician with the puck and what we needed . We have Turcotte , Vilardi , Kopitar and millions other centers . Maybe one gets traded now idk but I fear he has the biggest potential to bust . Hope I’m wrong .

P.S - Someone with his size among all his peers should have put up better numbers . Stutzle is a wiz , idk

Better numbers than what?!? The guy had a historically good season on a mediocre team with no other future NHLers that was 1-7 without him in the lineup...

 

[KINGS17]

Grans! Yep!

RH Defenseman who is gonna end up being around 6-4 and 225 lbs some day.

 

[Dr Salt]

Great pick for you guys. Byfield was a good tier above Stützle, and you should be happy Kings management saw it too.

 

[Legionnaire]

I wonder is Quint chose his number because quint is a prefix for five? If he was clever enough to come up with that we've got a winner.

 

[Telos]

It's interesting to hear just how close it was in LA and how originally, they were leaning Stutzle. In the end, Yannetti says that Blake made the pick because he fit the plan they had for the team better than Stutzle. Either which way, very happy we got Byfield. I think he's going to be a very exciting player to watch. I can't wait for his first breakaway goal!

 

[Master Yoda]

I wonder is Quint chose his number because quint is a prefix for five? If he was clever enough to come up with that we've got a winner.

It was mentioned in an article, I don't remember which one, that he took the number from Sergei Gonchar when he was young.

 

[WolvesAndWings]

Better numbers than what?!? The guy had a historically good season on a mediocre team with no other future NHLers that was 1-7 without him in the lineup...

Can confirm. We were utter trash without Byfield in the lineup last year. The 1-7 record actually flatters us.

 

[kilowatt]

That's about the only thing that holds up, the rest is speculative nonsense.

You make him sound like he's Jonathan Bernier, and he's just gonna pout if he doesn't make the team as an 18 year old, a super young 18 year old at that.

Making him out to be a real Lias Andersson, if you will.

 

[Statto]

That's just not how this works anymore, if he plays anywhere close to what we believe him to be capable of, he's walk gonna walk right from the ELC to $10M, so those years are just too important to cast aside.

Note: Jack Eichel had 177 points in 209 games (yes, i'm aware that's very good) and got $10M, you don't have to be Connor for that to happen.

Unfortunately I tend to agree.

 

[VILARGOD]

Had a rough day at work. Then Trump comes out and stops any talks regarding Stimulus. My stocks tank. Hey at least I can celebrate the Kings taking Stutzle.
Nope.

Cant even celebrate us getting Byfield? smh

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Better numbers than what?!? The guy had a historically good season on a mediocre team with no other future NHLers that was 1-7 without him in the lineup...

I think the guy you're quoting is also another one of the posters who wanted Bogosian over Doughty