I'm not a scout or anything but I feel like passing on Byfield would be a huge mistake. He's closer to Lafreniere than he is to Stutzle IMO - if we had a normal season coming he'd probably smash all of Lafreniere's scoring numbers in their respective 3rd CHL yrs.

I hope you're right. I just don't see how you pass up on a kid like that. Plenty of the centers in our pipeline have either played wing before (Alex Turcotte) or project to look better on the wing anyway (Kupari, Thomas, maybe Madden). Take the best player available and work around the holes in your line-up from a position of strength.

I'm agree.. But have you seen the instagram post of Tim Stutzle ? Is german friend Dominik Bokk comment "LA bound" on his picture. Not sure if it was only what he's hoping or if they know more than us about LA plan for next draft....

Until your about to get up to the podium or computer screen however it’s going to be done and realize rangers just blew the hockey worlds mind by choosing a position of need over laf. I know it’s unlikely very unlikely but the fact their could be a fair debate about it makes it interesting.

Everyone hates big strong Center men.......

Rob Blake was a defenseman and Byfield is a center...

Even if that were the case, since when does a GM draft a player based on how he used to play?

Byfield isn't that physical for a guy his size either. Blake was.

Apparently the Kings interviewed Stutzle, but did not interview Byfield. I don't know how true that is, but things are looking a lot like they are leaning towards Stutzle more.

If you knew anything about Blake, you'd know he is a push over and he is too nice. He will likely listen to his friend Sturm and go with Stutzle.

Blake has admittedly never scouted a player in his life and will go with whoever his staff suggests as he has ever since he became the GM.

They have an equal ceiling. Can't go wrong with either.

He's also 10 months younger. I don't think it's super close, as Laf is a monster, but Byfield is going to be really really good as well

I agree, but there is also the weekness of having NOTHING in terms of prospects at a certain position. Habs have had this problem for years and it's finally being resolved at Center. Leafs have had this issue in nets for years, until they had Rask (lolllzzz). Flyers until they had Hart. Same can be said for many teams on Dfence. I agree with you for the most part though.

NYR will trade their first with a few cap dumps to LA for their first....NYR need a center anyways and it gets rid of cap space...LAK gets a star winger when they have a few C in the pipeline

LA will choose Stutzle. That’s all there is to it.

I agree.

That ten months younger is what really sparks me to think rangers atleast need to strongly look at him instead. Given that 10 months difference would Byfield close that gap between them more? I personally think so. Not saying he would be the better player but the difference would be small enough to justify taking the c over LW in rangers current situation. I’m not saying or suggesting that’s what I think will happen laf is the number one rated guy and they don’t get passed up on but this situation is different than past I would be surprised but wouldn’t blow me way.

There certainly is a weakness, but like I said, plenty of the prospects can move to wing. It's an easier switch than going from winger to center, that's for sure.

From a different viewpoint, it's always been easier to get a high-profile winger to fill out the top-6 in UFA/trades than it is a #1C. When the Kings are ready to contend in 2-3 years (hopefully), they can start addressing needs through FA or trades.

If rangers even approached la about moving down one spot la would know they aren’t going for laf so they would just sit tight. Only way is if la approached New York and suddenly la is paying a price better off letting things play out.

Ottawa get Byfield and LA get Stutzle everyone wins

Kings definitely should draft Byfield, but I'm not so sure they will. Although recent reports suggest that Blake is leaning in Byfield's direction. I think it's a coin flip at this stage.

If Blake really is considering Stutzle, then he needs to reach out to Ottawa and see what he can swindle out of them to swap the #2/#3 pick. If they won't give up anything of value, then take Byfield out of spite.

At the end of the day, I think the most interesting place to work for the next 3 months would be in the GM offices in NY. I'd have so much fun trying to plan out a 3-yr development plan with these players.

Except for Ottawa. Ottawa never wins ;P jkd

It's not an outrageous thing to say at all. I have wondered the same thing, because if you compare Byfields numbers from his age 17 season (1.8 ppg) to Laf's (1.7), Byfield comes out on top. He's bigger (6'4 217) and faster, but Laf is better in almost every other facet. Which makes me think, how much of Byfields production is coming from hockey skill and how much of it is coming from being physically larger than everyone else? I don't watch enough to know.

It's not.

Source?

A guy who is 6'4 / 217 at just 17 years old is going to be bigger than everyone else in the NHL too. I don't think that's a concern.

Some no-name reporter

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-will-dubas-handle-maple-leafs-off-season/

Obv that's always helpful, but Byfield uses his edgework and vision more than his size and strength, obv being 6'4" helps give him that extra bit of space, but he will still have most of that in the NHL, he doesn't play like say Poulin who kind of relies on being bigger and stronger than his opponents