L.A. Kings center Quinton Byfield has become a key piece of the puzzle, and in this feature story from THN's 2022 Future Watch edition, Byfield and his development was profiled.
Young center Quinton Byfield has emerged as a key component of the Los Angeles Kings' long-term blueprint for success. And in this feature story from THN's Future Watch 2022 edition (Vol, 75, Issue 13), Byfield and his development was put under the spotlight:
QB OF THE FUTURE
By Doug Ward
Kings rookie Quinton Byfield answers to ‘QB,’ and someday, when the 19-year-old fulfills his inevitable destiny as the team’s first-line center, his moniker will undoubtedly be modified to ‘QB1.’
That day is coming, but for now, call Byfield the Kings’ QB of the future. While Byfield remains an ascending talent, he has not yet taken full flight. Byfield had his progress sidetracked significantly by a fractured left ankle he sustained in a pre-season game on Oct. 5. The injury kept him off the ice for two-and-a-half months and cost him around 40 games.
“I was feeling confident in my game,” Byfield said. “It was definitely a major setback.”Byfield’s progress was delayed further when he was placed in COVID-19 protocol in December. During a long, gruelling season, Byfield said there can be a natural desire for a little time off. But when the ankle injury forced that idle time on him, all Byfield wanted was to get back on the ice.
“You miss it so much,” he said. “It makes you appreciate what you do and how lucky you are to play the game.”While longing to get back into action, Byfield treated his time watching from the press box as an opportunity to watch and learn the NHL game from a different perspective.
“There are things you see from above that you don’t see on the ice,” he said.There’s no mistaking what you see when you watch Byfield, from either the press box or ice level. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he brings a powerful aura with him every time he steps on the ice. “It took a while to get him back,” said Nelson Emerson, the Kings’ director of player personnel. “It’s good to get him going again. He got a chance to see the game differently and see how much it means to him. He has come back strong and gone on to solidify his spot in our lineup.”
His numbers aren’t eye-popping – since being recalled Jan. 20, Byfield has two goals and three points in 18 games – but the Kings’ brass isn’t concerned. Coach Todd McLellan is realistic enough to understand it’s unfair to expect Byfield to make an immediate impact the way, say, Connor McDavid did in Edmonton. Instead, McLellan sees Byfield tracing a rise similar to that of the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl, who broke into the league at 19 and steadily improved before a breakout 50-goal, 105-point season at 23.
The scouting report on Byfield touts his unique package of size, speed and skill, while also praising his high hockey IQ. He has great hands, carries the puck extremely well and can start a play or finish one. The fact he plays both ends of the rink and creates turnovers makes him the complete package.
Parts of Byfield’s vast skill set have been on display at the NHL level. Already, Byfield skates and handles the puck at an elite level. At the same time, he’s learning to leverage his physical gifts to his advantage, and he still has work to do in the faceoff circle.
As big centers go, Byfield has an ideal role model in Anze Kopitar, the man the Kings would like Byfield to replace one day. For his part, Byfield wants to develop the kind of defensive awareness that is synonymous with the Selke Trophy winner’s game.
Byfield calls Kopitar “unreal,” and marvels at the way he always seems to make the right play.
If Kopitar is a role model for Byfield, Byfield himself is the player another Quinton Byfield most admires. When an eight-year-old hockey fan also named Quinton Byfield attended the Kings-Rangers game with his parents at Madison Square Garden, the elder Byfield was gracious and charming beyond his years. “I really appreciate you guys coming out and supporting me,” Byfield told his namesake’s family during a video meet-up, while appearing to be just as thrilled by the uncanny coincidence.
While Byfield is delighted to share a moniker with a young admirer, the one person the Kings would most like him to mirror is himself. If Byfield can become the best version of himself, the Kings are confident that will be more than enough.
Byfield still figures to be the centerpiece of the Kings’ future, but McLellan preaches patience. “He is not the savior,” McLellan said. “We need to give Quinton Byfield a little breathing room.”
McLellan would like to keep the noise that surrounds Byfield’s arrival in L.A. to a minimum. Byfield has a good idea how to dial down the rhetoric that comes with great expectations. “If I can play my game the way I know I can,” Byfield said, “there won’t be too much noise around that.”
Except, of course, the cheers coming from the Kings’ faithful.