Ben Shelley: Kings will have a tough decision between Byfield and Stutzle

Take Byfield, Kopitar will mentor him.

You guys ended up in a great position, great pick either way. Byfield seems more like a western conference player than Stutzle. Much bigger body, having a good and big center seems more valuable in the West for LA.

Either way, cannot go wrong.

Further to previous comment, I see you guys taking Byfield because of his size and having Kopitar be his mentor... you have great centre depth but some of those other guys can be traded or transitioned to wing.

No wrong choice between the two though...

That second video in the blog could be summarized as Ray Ferraro gushing about Stutzle for 14 minutes.

Since they're even more relevant to this blog post, I'll re-post the links to the excellent scouting reports that found I YouTube:

Byfield:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShlawnEJjMU

Stutzle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OMdGCtpMr4

So you're saying the Sens are the real winners, by picking 3rd and not having to choose?

In all seriousness, I've gone back and forth on this decision probably 20 times now.

Byfield being yonger, worrying if his size inflated his number playing against such smaller competition.

So you're saying the Sens are the real winners, by picking 3rd and not having to choose?
- david22

That's a good way to look at it. You're saving yourself a lot of indecision this way. If it makes you feel any better, I'd rather have #3 and #5 than #2, so the Sens are winners, regardless.

So you're saying the Sens are the real winners, by picking 3rd and not having to choose?

In all seriousness, I've gone back and forth on this decision probably 20 times now.

Byfield being yonger, worrying if his size inflated his number playing against such smaller competition.
- david22

I thought before the draft that 1 was the best pick, followed by 3. Would have much rather had the Sens decide between QB and Stutzle, and let the Kings grab the leftover at 3 because the decision is so tough.

Still give the edge to QB at 2 but, damn, Stutzle looks like the complete package since his game looks so refined.

Byfield!

See??

That wasn’t so tough.

Byfield kind of looks like a Kopitar who shoots.

Can someone explain to me how they possibly take Byfield?

They have C Adrian Kempe (2014 1st rounder) - 15g / 40p ; C Rasmus Kupari (1st rounder 2017) ; C Alex Turcotte (5th overall in 2019).

Not to mention Akil Thomas, Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Can someone explain to me how they possibly take Byfield?

They have C Adrian Kempe (2014 1st rounder) - 15g / 40p ; C Rasmus Kupari (1st rounder 2017) ; C Alex Turcotte (5th overall in 2019).

Not to mention Akil Thomas, Jaret Anderson-Dolan
- AlfieisKing

Kings can allow those kids drafted play W instead of C
Oh I'd take Byfield at #2

Can someone explain to me how they possibly take Byfield?

They have C Adrian Kempe (2014 1st rounder) - 15g / 40p ; C Rasmus Kupari (1st rounder 2017) ; C Alex Turcotte (5th overall in 2019).

Not to mention Akil Thomas, Jaret Anderson-Dolan
- AlfieisKing

Because Cs can always covert to W, but the opposite almost never happens. Kempe has played a fair deal of W in his NHL career, Akil Thomas already transitioned to W in junior (iirc), Kupari had a rough first NA year, Vilardi has had injury issues so far, and JAD likely settles is as a high-end 3C/low-end 2C.

Can someone explain to me how they possibly take Byfield?

They have C Adrian Kempe (2014 1st rounder) - 15g / 40p ; C Rasmus Kupari (1st rounder 2017) ; C Alex Turcotte (5th overall in 2019).

Not to mention Akil Thomas, Jaret Anderson-Dolan
- AlfieisKing

You missed Gabriel Vilardi and Tyler Madden. I think that the thing is that those are basically all 2nd or 3rd line centers. One might turn into a 1C, but Byfield is actually a bonafide 1C prospect. Replacing Kopitar in a few years is critical to the long-term success of the organization and Byfield has a better chance of doing that than the center prospects that they currently have. LA really believes in building down the center, and it's how they won two Cups, so making the center position as strong as possible and worrying about the wing positions later would fit their strategy.

Can someone explain to me how they possibly take Byfield?

They have C Adrian Kempe (2014 1st rounder) - 15g / 40p ; C Rasmus Kupari (1st rounder 2017) ; C Alex Turcotte (5th overall in 2019).

Not to mention Akil Thomas, Jaret Anderson-Dolan
- AlfieisKing

Because drafting for need with a top pick doesn't make a lot of sense if you don't have a similar talent in the system. And who says Byfield doesn't end up on the wing?

Don’t think too hard about it. Having the option is allowing you to second guess what the rest of the league knows. Byfield has a better shot at being a star.

Bring in Byfield and Byfuglien. That changes things right now for the Kings.

From Byfield’s performance at the WJHC and Stutzle’s year playing a a legit pro league I think Stutzle might be the better pick. With Byfiled’s size and talent, he really should have made some strides to challenge Lafreniere for top spot, but he didn’t seem to be make his way into the conversation at all.

Maybe Lafreniere is just that good, like McDavid or Crosby, but usually every year the 2nd overall at least gets some consideration. At this point in their development I think it’s good to see players trending upwards rather than leveling off. I’m any case Byfield will be a safe pick.

Can someone explain to me how they possibly take Byfield?

They have C Adrian Kempe (2014 1st rounder) - 15g / 40p ; C Rasmus Kupari (1st rounder 2017) ; C Alex Turcotte (5th overall in 2019).

Not to mention Akil Thomas, Jaret Anderson-Dolan
- AlfieisKing

And Villardi

From Byfield’s performance at the WJHC and Stutzle’s year playing a a legit pro league I think Stutzle might be the better pick. With Byfiled’s size and talent, he really should have made some strides to challenge Lafreniere for top spot, but he didn’t seem to be make his way into the conversation at all.

Maybe Lafreniere is just that good, like McDavid or Crosby, but usually every year the 2nd overall at least gets some consideration. At this point in their development I think it’s good to see players trending upwards rather than leveling off. I’m any case Byfield will be a safe pick.
- 13sundin13

If his mom had a headache, Byfield would have been in next year's draft. He's 17, and while he's already enormous, he's still a gangly teenager. It ain't easy growing into a frame like that. So while there is no guarantee he will get better, I'll bet that he will get better. Further, whether the Kings or Sens pick Byfield, a pro development program will be presented to Sudbury and he will work on skills to promote his pro development.

Stutzle looks awesome.

That second video in the blog could be summarized as Ray Ferraro gushing about Stutzle for 14 minutes.

Since they're even more relevant to this blog post, I'll re-post the links to the excellent scouting reports that found I YouTube:

Byfield:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShlawnEJjMU

Stutzle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OMdGCtpMr4
- Osprey

I found it funny he brought up Kaliyev in the Stutzle review to talk about Stutzles work ethic.

Its interesting to see where byfield falls into that elite prospects sites ranking. there are some really good players under him. Based on points. His world juniors numbers werent great. Stutzle had better numbers there. Watching these videos. Im feeling like Byfield is the safe pick. And Stutzle is the gamble. But not a bad gamble. Because his upside looks much bigger based on his over all amount of skills and abilities.

From Byfield’s performance at the WJHC and Stutzle’s year playing a a legit pro league I think Stutzle might be the better pick. With Byfiled’s size and talent, he really should have made some strides to challenge Lafreniere for top spot, but he didn’t seem to be make his way into the conversation at all.

Maybe Lafreniere is just that good, like McDavid or Crosby, but usually every year the 2nd overall at least gets some consideration. At this point in their development I think it’s good to see players trending upwards rather than leveling off. I’m any case Byfield will be a safe pick.
- 13sundin13

Also, start this video at 4:22 (ignore the video game on the screen; it is irrelevant). The narrator makes a great point about Byfield's international performance at 17 juxtaposed with Lafreniere's performance at 17. Kinda tough to beat the guy with that stick and not hold Lafreniere to the same scrutiny...or maybe it is irrelevant?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhXKIalBcZ8

-Converting from W to C is very hard.
-Converting C to W isn’t as tough.

Even though the Kings are deep at C, it isn’t impossible to see players like Villardi & Thomas moving to wing.

I see Turcotte as en ELITE 2C, and Madden as the 3C (in the shut down fashion of Jarret Stoll). Quinton Byfield has the makings of a TRUE Western Conference, top line Center!

With more than a few years left on Kopitars contract (and hold on the 1C role), the Kings won’t need to rush Byfield development.

He can spend another year in the O. Grow (if that is even possible) & mature. Let him get his bearings in the A when Turcotte is called up to the big team, and let this happen organically.

Stutzle is ready to help today.

Byfield is ready to DOMINATE 3 years from now.

It's always safer to take the guy who's been playing North American hockey his whole life.

Also, start this video at 4:22 (ignore the video game on the screen; it is irrelevant). The narrator makes a great point about Byfield's international performance at 17 juxtaposed with Lafreniere's performance at 17. Kinda tough to beat the guy with that stick and not hold Lafreniere to the same scrutiny...or maybe it is irrelevant?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhXKIalBcZ8
- Only_A_Ladd

Fair enough, though this is more about Stutzle vs Byfield rather than Lafreniere vs Byfield.

This was really more about my personal opinion form watching Byfield at the WJHC, yes he was used in a bottom six role etc but I also didn't think he was very visible. Lafreniere had the same stats last year but he still kind of stood out to me, but again this is just from what I saw, so it doesn't mean much.

Like I was saying, Byfield would still be the safe pick, but there's something about him not challenging Lafreniere for the top spot that makes me think he didn't progress as much as expected. Maybe it's just because its a weird year, things may have been different if he had a chance to show what he could do in the playoffs. Stutlze is also getting a lot of praise right now trending up with comparisons to Marner, so something about that makes me think he could have a really high upside.

In any case I think the Kings take him and would be smart to do so.