LA Kings: Three big predictions for Quinton Byfield’s long-awaited NHL Debut
Let the Quinton Byfield era officially begin for the LA Kings.
We’ve had to wait a while but tonight we will finally see Quinton Byfield unleashed on the National Hockey League, with the stud forward set to make his long-awaited professional debut for the LA Kings against the Anaheim Ducks, and it could be well worth the wait.
See you at @STAPLESCenter: https://t.co/ZuFF7n0P4p https://t.co/juylhgpNVc
— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 28, 2021
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Byfield was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and is seen as the focal point of this current Kings’ rebuild, and he should be a cornerstone piece for a franchise that is hoping to secure a return to the glory days in the not-too-distant future.
Boasting an incredibly rare and unique mix of size, speed, skill and high hockey IQ, Byfield is a four or five-tool hockey player and he has amazingly high upside and will enter the NHL tonight with lofty expectations given his potential and his sheer talent level.
As a result, it is no surprise that the LA Kings have decided to treat one of their youngest and greatest assets with kid gloves, allowing the center to mature in the American Hockey League with the Ontario Reign, where he recorded eight goals and 20 points in 30 games.
It is now time, however, for Quinton Byfield to showcase his ability on the biggest possible platform and we’ve got three fairly big and bold predictions for the elite prospect’s NHL debut for the Kings against the Ducks tonight. Let’s dive right in…
3 Big Predictions for Quinton Byfield’s NHL debut with the LA Kings
3. Expect to see a shorthanded goal
As we’ve already mentioned, Quinton Byfield is a rare commodity in the National Hockey League given that he boasts huge size at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds – and he still has room to add to that frame – while he also has a boatload of skill in his arsenal.
Therefore, Byfield should be used in all situations and he could be a huge weapon on the penalty kill given that he will be able to lay the body on in his own zone, play responsible defense, get the puck out and he also has the insane speed needed to be a massive threat on breakaway chances.
And we could well see Byfield mark his long-awaited NHL debut with a shorthanded goal given that LA Kings Head Coach Todd McLellan has already revealed that he could give the Second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft some time on the penalty kill.
If that proves to be the case then it would not be surprising if Byfield converts on the PK given his deadly combination of sheer size, speed and skill, especially against a Ducks team that doesn’t exactly do a good job of keeping the puck out of its net and that also ranks dead last on the power play (10.0).
2. No first night jitters
It is common for high picks to be on the opening night roster in the NHL, as was the case for Alexis Lafreniere, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, who has been in the big leagues with the New York Rangers since day one.
The LA Kings took a different approach, however, opting to not rush Quinton Byfield and instead treat their most prized asset with kid gloves, allowing him to adapt to life as a professional hockey player at his own pace and get used to his new surroundings.
It was a smart move given that we live in a Pandemic world still and, with a short Training Camp and no preseason, it was always unfair to expect this year’s rookie class to hit the ground running and we saw with Lafreniere that all prospects, no matter how talented, need a certain amount of time to adapt and take that next giant leap.
Instead of being rushed through to the NHL, Byfield has been cutting his teeth in the American Hockey League with the Ontario Reign, where he was pretty productive with eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 30 games, while also logging 22 penalty minutes.
Having been allowed to further hone his craft and practice with the Kings without the pressure of having to live up to high expectations straightaway, Byfield should be in a pretty good state of mind prior to making his debut tonight and that could lead to a pretty smooth debut.
Set to skate alongside two skilled players in Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore and also slated to see some action on the second power play unit, Byfield will get plenty of opportunity to impress and it would not be surprising to see him make an immediate glowing first impression given that he’s not been rushed straight into action.
1. Hat trick alert?
Okay, we’re going to go all out here and finish with a bang by predicting that Quinton Byfield will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Auston Matthews by absolutely exploding onto the scene in the National Hockey League and recording a hat trick in his first career game.
So that could be setting pretty unfair expectations for Byfield who has yet to take a single shift in the NHL yet, but it isn’t that bold of a prediction when you really sit down and think about it. For starters, he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and is an absolute stud prospect with a scary amount of talent.
He’s also a freak of nature given that he’s an absolute specimen that not only boasts a hulking frame, but he also has speed and skill in abundance, making the 18-year-old a unique talent that is built to succeed at a high level in the NHL.
Byfield has all the talent, all the skills, all the weapons and the IQ needed to become an elite center at the highest level, and while it is unfair to expect too much too early, he will have chances to carve out one hell of a debut tonight.
As we’ve mentioned in previous slides, Byfield will see time on both the power play and on the penalty kill, thus increasing his opportunities to light the lamp and he’ll also be playing on a line with two playmakers in Trevor Moore and Adrian Kempe, two players who could certainly help to make things happen for Byfield.
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When you also consider that the Anaheim Ducks aren’t a great team and currently rank 25th in Goals Against Per Game (3.22), there will be opportunities for Quinton Byfield to wreak havoc and cause some damage, and he has the talent to score a hat trick on his NHL debut if the chances arise.
Whatever happens, though, there is no doubt that LA Kings fans will just be excited to finally see their highly-skilled and highly-rated prospect in action after having to wait a long, long time for this day to come.