Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson recently put together his 2020 NHL Draft Re-Do for all 32 clubs. As you know, the LA Kings took Quinton Byfield with the no. 2 overall selection.
However, Richardson has the Kings taking Tim Stützle.
Here’s his analysis:
The Los Angeles Kings were in the market for a center with the second-overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft. They passed over Tim Stützle and chose Quinton Byfield, a 6’5″, 220-pounder from the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League.
While Byfield’s NHL debut last season was hampered by an ankle injury, Stützle has already had a positive impact with the Ottawa Senators, who chose him third overall. Now 20, he quickly established himself as a rising star with this rebuilding club.
Stützle put up a respectable 29 points in 53 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign, finishing fifth among NHL rookie scorers. He followed up with a solid sophomore performance, sitting second on the Senators with 58 points.
Byfield was expected to play a full season at the NHL level last year, but a fractured ankle in the preseason delayed his 2022 Kings debut until mid-January. He wasn’t that productive, just five goals and 10 points in 40 games played.
He was primarily a third-line center and didn’t have much help in the way of his linemates.
Stützle quietly put up 22 goals and 36 assists in 79 games last year; his 58 points would have been the second-most on the Kings roster.
Heading into the 2022-23 campaign, it’s undoubtedly a big year for Byfield. Assuming he’s 100 percent healthy, I’d love to see him take the next step in his development. I’ve been banging on the table all offseason about this, but a similar leap to Joe Thornton‘s Year 1 to Year 2 production would be considered a major success for the young center.
With Anze Kopitar Under contract for just two more seasons, Byfield will be expected to take over the No. 1 center role in the not-so-distant future.
Do you agree with the re-draft here?