After an entire season under his belt at wing, a total of 179 games in the NHL, and a freshly signed 6.25 AAV million dollar contract, Quinton Byfield is ready to move back to center. The 6'5 speedy forward is a natural center and was drafted to play there long term.
Byfield hasn't played much time up the middle during his short time in the NHL—he's only had one full season. He took off two seasons ago, being shifted away from center and thrust onto the top line to form a formidable trio with captain Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe.
Being a driving force for that line is a critical reason to how he earned that new contract. An entire season next to Kopitar and Kempe provided a surplus of points and a positive impact on even-strength play. Byfield collected 14 total power-play points out of his 55 total. Byfield would finish the season with 20-35-55 points, becoming one of the better playmakers on the roster.
Byfield finished with 35 assists, 27 at even strength. That is three shy of the team lead of 30 from Kopitar. Byfield wasn't just a player who deferred to better players, he was a driving force on that line.
There's going to be a shift in his play and responsibilities as he returns to center. Not a massive swing, but a significant change he was drafted for. Something to remember here is that the Kings have had a recent history of drafting centers that ultimately cracked the NHL as wingers: Kempe and Gabe Vilardi spring to mind. There are those who are yet to stick like Alex Turcotte and Akil Thomas. The Kings, in recent history have opted for veteran centers with Phil Danault and Pierre-Luc Dubois as obvious examples. The most "green" center over the last few seasons trusted to play the full course of a season was Blake Lizotte.
The Kings under Rob Blake have blocked younger prospects drafted as centers. Notice that Rasmus Kupari didn't land as a 3C/4C, shockingly. That's just not what he was drafted for.
The track record is not great, but if a prospect can take it and run with it, it will be Byfield. The future 1C for the franchise has to play down the middle for the Kings to take the best step, "It's almost like a new challenge again, going back down the middle," said Byfield when asked about the move back to center. "But I've played there my whole life. Playing with and alongside Kopi, playing with Phil as well, just watching those guys, how responsible they are in the d-zone, knowing how much care they take back there, both sides of the puck, taking face offs and everything, I feel like I've learned a lot from them. When I get back to center, kind of just molding my game a little bit after them and taking pieces of their game."
His potential partner? Enter Kevin Fiala.
The most dynamic offensive forward on the roster has had an intriguing time with the Kings. He's racked up the points in a Kings uniform (145 in 151 games)— but he's also shuffled around the lineup. He's spent time with Kopitar, Danault, Dubois, Lizotte, and even Kupari two seasons ago. He recently found a solidified home playing with Danault and Moore but was weaponized for matchups on a third/fourth-line option with Lizotte/Lewis.
Fiala is a tricky player to play against but also to play with. Certain players want predictable players to play with, take Kopitar. Kopitar loved playing with Alex Iafallo. Simple and predictable player who you know what you'll get every shift.
In contrast playing with Fiala, you move into support as center and Fiala finds you on a spin around a backhanded pass while defended well in a corner. We've seen high-caliber players even mishandle and miscalculate Fiala's next move. It's one of the reasons he hasn't clicked with Kopitar.
As mentioned, he found a good spot with Danault and Moore. Those are two predictable players. North South, get in on the forecheck, and work with short 5-10 foot passes to wreak havoc.
Tanner Jeannot or Warren Foegele is likely to stick to that line to make opposing defensemen miserable. Fiala and Byfield are certainly going to get a long look as they have an opportunity to construct a third effective duo for the Kings to utilize against opponents (Kopitar-Kempe, Danault-Moore, Byfield-Fiala).
Byfield was on a line with Fiala before last season as a flanking winger twice: 27 minutes with Dubois as center-82.1% GoalsFor 2.3 xGoalsFor 0.5 xGoals Against, 17 minutes with Kopitar at center-66.7% Goals, 0.6 xGoals For, 0.3 xGoals Against. There must be a larger sample size to plant a flag, and Byfield was not even at center for the samples. With Fiala and Byfield not having a more robust sample, I'm hesitant to believe those two click immediately.
But that's the goal. I suppose with some restraint, I think it's easier said than done. Transitioning back to center shouldn't be rocket science for Byfield, but playing with a shifty creative dynamo in Fiala could be tricky. He's meshed well with simplistic players, and that's not what this franchise needs their young cornerstone to be.
Neither player should nor will change their overall game, they are both extremely effective players that can change the game on one shift alone. How they mesh, however, could define the successes of the 2024-2025 season.