Prospect Info: NHL Entry Draft thread: LA Kings select Quinton Byfield 2nd Overall (Part 3)

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[Jericho111091]

We're obviously going to pick Jaden Smith

 

[ibleedkings]

Stutzle

 

[RaymondReddington]

I am reminded how often Sutter put out two centers on the same line.

 

[KINGS17]

Just using the names in the prospect pool we have at this time, I see it as something like this down the middle:

Byfield
Vilardi
Turcotte
Thomas

with other natural centers moving to the wing. Certainly Byfield and Vilardi have to approach reaching their ceilings in order for this to be the foundation up front of a championship caliber team, but from we know today, I think this is not too far fetched.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Guess I'll just copy and paste this one over to this new thread:

In case anyone was curious, the following is a list of examples of natural centers who have spent a some time in their careers playing wing, and didn't look out of place doing so:

Mario Lemieux
Peter Forsberg
Chris Drury
Jeff Carter
Logan Couture
Pavel Datsyuk
Henrik Zetterberg
Patrick Marleau
Mitch Marner
William Nylander
Joe Pavelski
Tyler Seguin
Brian Rolston
Kirk Muller
Vincent Damphousse
Ryan O'Reilly

A common trait with the aforementioned names is that they're all smart players with and without the puck. There are plenty more I haven't mentioned, like Mark Messier who started off playing LW, Rod Brind'Amour played wing early in his career as well, and as a coach he even shifted one of his top centers, Sebastian Aho, to play wing.
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/canes-now/article239346278.html

These are smart players, they can adapt. I've said it before and bring up Blake's comments in a recent interview yet again, you typically see rosters are international tournaments overloaded with centers. Canada had Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman, Lindros, Nieuwendyk and Peca on their 2002 Olympic roster. That's six centers.

The 1996 US World Cup winning team had eight centers: Weight, Modano, LaFontaine, Otto, McEachern, Smolinski, Konowalchuk, Rolston. The last US Olympic hockey team had six centers: Pavelski, Stastny, Wheeler, Stepan, Kesler and Backes.

Given that these guys have been playing forward at some capacity all of their lives, suggesting a center to slide to wing isn't like asking a forward to play defense or goalie. They're capable of doing so, so long as they have the smarts to do it, and in many cases, they do.

 

[tbrown33]

No. 2 pick sets up as a can't-miss for Kings, but history shows a mixed bag

Hypothetically, would Yannetti have spent as much time in the homes of Byfield and Stutzle?

Yannetti responded: “If there were no restrictions, I would have lived …”
He stopped, then amended his answer.

“I’m not saying those are the (only) two guys we are looking at,” Yannetti said. “I can tell you this, if there were no restrictions, I would have camped out at four people’s (houses). I would have done five-hour interviews with Rob Blake and a couple of our staff members. We would have done prolonged interviews with four people.”

I’m sure Raymond is 1 of the 4, not so sure who the 4th guy is.

 

[The Lukeman]

With the Second Pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Los Angeles Kings Select…

John Hoven reaffirms he believes LA is taking Byfield with the second overall pick.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

With the Second Pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Los Angeles Kings Select…

John Hoven reaffirms he believes LA is taking Byfield with the second overall pick.

If he’s sticking his neck out like that, then I’m guessing that’s very likely how it will play out on Tuesday. This article also seems to suggest he’s going to be the #2 pick.

 

[tbrown33]

If he’s sticking his neck out like that, then I’m guessing that’s very likely how it will play out on Tuesday. This article also seems to suggest he’s going to be the #2 pick.

““But the game is going away from all that,” Mehmeti said. “He can chirp as good as anyone when he scores a goal. He doesn’t shy away. It’s just that he was so much bigger than everyone else growing up that he couldn’t hit anybody without avoiding a head shot.”

Makes sense. Definitely won’t be the case in the NHL, especially once he bulks up. Sky’s the limit for this kid.

Unleash the Byfield.

 

[King'sPawn]

If he’s sticking his neck out like that, then I’m guessing that’s very likely how it will play out on Tuesday. This article also seems to suggest he’s going to be the #2 pick.

Yup. John would not be taking all this time writing this article without having this confidence.

Of course, the caveat is "things can change" but if anyone asks me, Hoven is who I trust more than anyone else.

Granted, I write for him and I'm biased, but I write for him because I believe in his effort and resources.

 

[RocketKing]

Just using the names in the prospect pool we have at this time, I see it as something like this down the middle:

Byfield
Vilardi
Turcotte
Thomas

with other natural centers moving to the wing. Certainly Byfield and Vilardi have to approach reaching their ceilings in order for this to be the foundation up front of a championship caliber team, but from we know today, I think this is not too far fetched.

That is one hell of a good looking group of Centers.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[LAKings88]

Yup. John would not be taking all this time writing this article without having this confidence.

Of course, the caveat is "things can change" but if anyone asks me, Hoven is who I trust more than anyone else.

Granted, I write for him and I'm biased, but I write for him because I believe in his effort and resources.

I mean, he is the most entrenched outsider out there currently. He has maintained Byfield all along.

Interesting how high they seemed on Zegras.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I mean, he is the most entrenched outsider out there currently. He has maintained Byfield all along.

Interesting how high they seemed on Zegras.

Clearly they read my posts hyping him up last year

 

[LAKings88]

Clearly they read my posts hyping him up last year

I flip flopped some on him but was happy with Turcotte.

Kings really value their culture guys. Part of me secretly wants Stuetzle just for the highlight factor that LA hasn’t had for some time.

Kopi has become my favorite all time King surpassing Gretz.

Another Kopi won’t be a bad consolation I guess. Hopefully

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I hadn't even considered the Matthews comparison for Byfield. That's a pretty damn good one too.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I flip flopped some on him but was happy with Turcotte.

Kings really value their culture guys. Part of me secretly wants Stuetzle just for the highlight factor that LA hasn’t had for some time.

Kopi has become my favorite all time King surpassing Gretz.

Another Kopi won’t be a bad consolation I guess. Hopefully

Yeah, Kings haven't had a player like Stuetzle since Palffy. Maybe 2014 playoff Gaborik.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yipes. I had been looking for that stat but couldn't find a good calendar.

Sudbury without Byfield when he was at the WJC: 1-7. With Byfield, 33-20-2. That's f***ing insane.

 

[kingsboy11]

I trust Hoven on the prospects side of things. And just reading between the lines of what Yanetti has said recently and just looking at the overall philosophy of the team I don't think they pass up on a big center like Byfield when we already have the blueprint in Kopitar.

 

[KINGS17]

Yipes. I had been looking for that stat but couldn't find a good calendar.

Sudbury without Byfield when he was at the WJC: 1-7. With Byfield, 33-20-2. That's f***ing insane.

Difference maker, which is what you want from the #2 overall.

 

[Bandit]

Stutzle

Wrong.

 

[Sparky206]

Yipes. I had been looking for that stat but couldn't find a good calendar.

Sudbury without Byfield when he was at the WJC: 1-7. With Byfield, 33-20-2. That's f***ing insane.

Some people are just winners, when theyre around it just happens.The Justin Williams effect.

 

[kilowatt]

I hadn't even considered the Matthews comparison for Byfield. That's a pretty damn good one too.

I kind of see prime Carter with better stickhandling.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

I kind of see prime Carter with better stickhandling.

Carter was never an elite playmaker. I think Byfield has (will have) better vision / playmaking abilities.