With Quinton Byfield signing long-term this week, we look back at the best of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Ottawa Senators fans haven't had much to crow about during their team's incessant rebuilding process.
The club hasn't made the playoffs since 2017, the third-longest active drought in the NHL. Instead of emerging from the rebuild and basking in the promised "unparalleled success," the Sens fired their coach and GM last season and made big roster changes in the offseason.
But even in bad times, there are little victories within. For example, the Senators' results in the 2020 NHL Draft were impressive. They're real, and they're spectacular.
That particular draft came to mind this week with the Senators recently trading away 2020 second-rounders Roby Jarventie (Edmonton) and Egor Sokolov (Utah) and the LA Kings signing 2020 second-overall pick Quinton Byfield to a long-term contract.
The Senators had two picks in the top five at that draft, third and fifth overall. They earned this from their firesale and being terrible. They also had three picks in the second round (only Tyler Kleven remains).
There was really no choice for the Senators at number three that year. Alexis Lafreniere was everybody's number one and went to the New York Rangers. The L.A. Kings had a tougher choice at two, deciding on Quinton Byfield. That left the Sens with Tim Stutzle, who would have been everybody's pick at three. The Red Wings rounded out the big four, going with Lucas Raymond.
Along with defenceman Jake Sanderson at five and Ridly Greig at 28, the Senators' first-round haul was certainly a source of pride for a beleaguered fan base.
So, what's happened in the past four years?
Stutzle and Lafreniere jumped right into the NHL, Byfield went to the AHL, and Raymond stayed home for another year in Sweden.
After three years, Lafreniere had failed to crack 40 points in any season, and Byfield split his time between LA and the AHL's Ontario Reign. Raymond had a great rookie debut with 57 points but tailed off to 45 in 2022-23. In Stutzle's third season, he had 39 goals and 90 points, pulverizing his draft peers.
However, everyone develops differently, and all three players closed the gap on Stutzle in year four last season.
Stutzle dropped to 18 goals and 70 points and sometimes looked like a discouraged player, perhaps sick of losing. Meanwhile, Lafreniere, Byfield, and Raymond all had big offensive surges.
Lafreniere had 28 goals and 57 points and was fantastic in the playoffs, with 14 points in 16 games. Byfield played his first full NHL season, posting 20 goals and 55 points. Raymond led the Detroit Red Wings in scoring with 31 goals and 72 points.
Most Senator fans still wouldn't trade Stutzle for any of the other top players selected around him. But some would, and we can all agree it's not the ridiculous notion it was just a year ago.
Stutzle had opened up a big lead in this debate, and his skill and speed are so good that we're betting he'll bounce back and eventually put the argument to rest, especially if the Senators finally begin to improve as a team.
It's simply another reminder that 18-year-olds are wildly unpredictable, so it usually takes five or six years (at least) before anyone can properly judge the results of an NHL Draft. The best player might end up being a guy who wasn't even in the top four (looking in your direction, Seth Jarvis).
The one thing that can be declared right now is that all four teams, including the Senators, remain over the moon with their top 2020 pick, even in hindsight.