Quinton Byfield, the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has been on a remarkable scoring streak, netting seven goals in his last ten games. This surge has coincided with the Los Angeles Kings winning nine of those contests, contributing to their impressive momentum in the final stretch of the season.
Quinton Byfield Has Been the Los Angeles Kings’ Best Player For Quite A While Now
“He’s been our best player for quite a while now,” Kings captain Anze Kopitar told NHL.com’s Tracey Myers. “It’s really great to see him confident on the ice and doing all the things that he’s been doing. I guess we just had to wait a little bit longer than anticipated, but he’s been a force for this team. He’s been winning us games.”
Defenseman Mikey Anderson echoed this sentiment, noting, “I think the confidence, you can see it. Just the way he moves out there. He touches the puck. He wants it on his stick. He makes some plays. Yeah, he’s been really fun to watch and someone we’re going to want to have keep going in that direction. It’s awesome,” as reported by The Athletic’s Eric Stephens.
Following a breakout season in 2023-24, where he recorded a career-high 20 goals and 55 points, Byfield has continued his strong performance this year, tallying 44 points in 70 games while averaging over 18 minutes of ice time per night as the Kings’ second-line center. This scoring burst is particularly notable considering his slow start, with no goals in his first 13 games. “I think my game is in a good spot,” Byfield told Myers.
Coupled with strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and a solid defensive unit anchored by a healthy Drew Doughty, the Kings have a 40-21-9 record, trailing the Vegas Golden Knights by just five points for the Pacific Division lead, with a game in hand.
The Kings, who haven’t advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since their 2014 championship, are determined to make a significant impact in the upcoming tournament.
“There were a lot of doubters at the beginning of the year for whatever reason, but I think at the beginning of the year we knew what we had, and we know how good of a team we are,” Byfield stated. “We’re really happy where we are as a team, but I think our home record says it all (26-3-4). We want to get better on the road so we have to figure that out, but other than that, we’re in a really good spot and excited for the playoffs.”
With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Kings have a chance to overtake the Knights and win the division. If not, they’ll likely face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round for the fourth consecutive year, potentially as the favorites this time.