Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle will tempt the Los Angeles Kings with the second overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft. The former’s the right guy to choose.
The 2020 NHL Draft, believe it or not, is happening in less than a week. It starts on Oct. 6. The Los Angeles Kings will be picking second overall, right behind the New York Rangers, who won the 2020 draft lottery. Alexis Lafreniere will be picked first. But who goes second?
With the second overall pick, the Kings will be facing a tough decision. Both Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle are coming off impressive draft seasons. There’s a good argument for either player to be taken with the second overall pick.
However, Byfield’s the right guy for the Kings to take. While Stutzle should develop into a star, Byfield is much closer to being NHL ready, has a higher floor, and probably has a higher ceiling because Byfield is going to stick at center in the NHL. Stutzle could stick at center, but I’ve been more impressed with him at the wing than down the middle.
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Why Byfield’s The Right Pick
There’s so many things to love about Byfield. Despite consistently being one of the youngest players at every level he’s played at thanks to his August birthday, he’s been consistently dominant. Byfield has everything teams look for a franchise center. He’s very skilled, he’s big, and his skating is very strong.
Byfield would be the first overall pick in just about any other year. Some of the people I’ve talked have said they’d probably even take Byfield over Jack Hughes. They’ve also told me the difference between Lafreniere and Byfield is much closer than most people realize. Byfield had some defensive concerns entering this season, but he’s improved immensely in that area, turning into an all-situations star for the Sudbury Wolves.
Now, Byfield is not without his flaws. He is human, after all. One concern I have about Byfield is he has to be better at using his frame to his advantage. To be fair, at 6’4″, Byfield was one of the biggest and strongest in the CHL this season.
Also, when you look at his game, Byfield uses his body to win battles and keep opponents from the puck. It’s fair to question how effective he’ll be at that against adults. Honestly, if the Kings draft Byfield, it would be way better for him to spend some time overseas or in the AHL so he can work on that. Unfortunately, the CHL has awful rules.
As great as Byfield has been, he’s been quiet in some big games. Most notably, I barely even noticed him at the 2020 World Juniors. That said, Byfield was one of the youngest players in the tournament at 17 years old and he had a pretty limited role with Team Canada. Also, he was pretty good in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament in 2019, picking up five points in five games.
Byfield Over Stutzle
So why should Byfield be picked instead of Stutzle? First of all, I’m a bit concerned about Stutzle’s skating stride. It’s not as smooth and effortless as it should look. Granted, this is a pretty easy thing to fix (see: Brayden Point). But still, it’s a noticeable flaw. Byfield has none of those.
Stutzle might have pro experience, something Byfield doesn’t, but I still think he’s a bit further away from the NHL than Byfield. He’ll have to adjust to the North American rink, which is something even the best prospects need to do. Then again, Stutzle, unlike Byfield, could just go straight to the AHL. Again, the CHL rules are ludicrous and need to change.
Also, Stutzle doesn’t have much strength. That’s probably tied to my concerns about his skating stride. But my biggest concern about Stutzle is his defense. Byfield made huge strides there this sesaon. Stutzle gets caught puck watching and out of position a bit too much for my liking.
Much like Byfield, there’s a lot to like about Stutzle. His vision in the offensive zone is outstanding. He’s a great playmaker. But Byfield’s the right pick for the Kings. Both Stutzle and Byfield are going to be terrific NHL players. But ultimately, Byfield’s the center, so you’ve got to go with him.