GDT ***LA Kings @ San Jose Sharks GDT 10/28/25 >>8:00pm<< on ESPN***

VCRW said:
I think it is time to finally admit that Stutzle was the better pick. QB has failed to consistently deliver on his “potential”. He is not the 1C of the future that we hoped he might become. Too random. Too frantic. Too little offense.

I wish Hiller would take him off PP1. He has neither the smarts nor the discipline to maximize the group’s performance with a man advantage. Perry should replace him.
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I'm not really worried about whether he's better than Stutzle. There's maybe two draft the Kings have had in the last 20-25 years where there wasn't someone drafted behind their first pick who didn't turn out to be a better player. But I can think of two guys who took a long time to develop, one that we're pretty happy with, and one we'd like to have back. Byfield is in season +5 of his draft year. Neither Kempe or Vilardi (granted they weren't #2 overall picks) really put it together until year +7 of their draft years. So I'm not going to be particularly impatient with Byfield.
 
ChiKingFan said:
I'm not really worried about whether he's better than Stutzle. There's maybe two draft the Kings have had in the last 20-25 years where there wasn't someone drafted behind their first pick who didn't turn out to be a better player. But I can think of two guys who took a long time to develop, one that we're pretty happy with, and one we'd like to have back. Byfield is in season +5 of his draft year. Neither Kempe or Vilardi (granted they weren't #2 overall picks) really put it together until year +7 of their draft years. So I'm not going to be particularly impatient with Byfield.
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Plus he was drafted in 2020 (development impacted by covid) and came into the draft as a more project type of prospect. He, much like Kempe, was also drafted young (Stutzle, for reference, is 7months older).

Honestly fans can question Byfield and his talent all they want but there are two indisputable facts: 1) The Kings have yet to pair Byfield, at his natural position, with our best winger. 2) The Kings have always slated Byfield behind Kopi (and often Danault) and have never given him L1 duties at Center outside of the short stint Kopi was injured (during which he produced at a point per game rate and *still* was not paired with our best winger).

The fact Byfield has done as well as he has has been in spite of the Kings Organization and remains the best two-way forward out of the 2020 draft.
 
DryKing said:
Plus he was drafted in 2020 (development impacted by covid) and came into the draft as a more project type of prospect. He, much like Kempe, was also drafted young (Stutzle, for reference, is 7months older).

Honestly fans can question Byfield and his talent all they want but there are two indisputable facts: 1) The Kings have yet to pair Byfield, at his natural position, with our best winger. 2) The Kings have always slated Byfield behind Kopi (and often Danault) and have never given him L1 duties at Center outside of the short stint Kopi was injured (during which he produced at a point per game rate and *still* was not paired with our best winger).

The fact Byfield has done as well as he has has been in spite of the Kings Organization and remains the best two-way forward out of the 2020 draft.
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And lets not forget the broken ankle in 21-22 and the extended illness in 22-23 that had a definite impact on his development timeline.
 
DryKing said:
Plus he was drafted in 2020 (development impacted by covid) and came into the draft as a more project type of prospect. He, much like Kempe, was also drafted young (Stutzle, for reference, is 7months older).

Honestly fans can question Byfield and his talent all they want but there are two indisputable facts: 1) The Kings have yet to pair Byfield, at his natural position, with our best winger. 2) The Kings have always slated Byfield behind Kopi (and often Danault) and have never given him L1 duties at Center outside of the short stint Kopi was injured (during which he produced at a point per game rate and *still* was not paired with our best winger).

The fact Byfield has done as well as he has has been in spite of the Kings Organization and remains the best two-way forward out of the 2020 draft.
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I posted what I did out of frustration from once again watching #55 play as a mindless rover for the whole game. Sorry for the grumpy venting.

I do see the talent. I don’t see the mental discipline it takes to best use that huge talent. But I also don’t see his offense showing much improvement since last year. He is definitely an exciting player to watch. Whether he is a guy to lead the team into the future is still an open question.

Y’all know I have always been a big QB supporter but this season I started thinking…

If the Kings had taken Stutzle, do you think the Faber for Fiala trade happens?

If Faber is a King, do think Doughty would still be here?

Knowing the Kings had a prodigy d’man to replace Drew, how much would DD have brought back in trade 3 years before the injury? I would guess a pretty darn good haul in players, picks, or prospects.

And the frikkin’ Dodgers got whipped last night and Roberts put in Treinen… Treinen??? Jeez…
 
As far as my comment about PP1 goes, I stand by elevating Perry to that unit immediately. Both Juice and Fiala would benefit from the net front antics that #10 perpetrates. Not to mention the garbage goals…

Either Kopitar or QB should be moved to PP2. It might make more sense to make Kopi that guy and reunite him with Drew. Q occupying Kopi’s role would help bring some much needed structure to the attack. Would Kopi agree to that reassignment?
 
ChiKingFan said:
I'm not really worried about whether he's better than Stutzle. There's maybe two draft the Kings have had in the last 20-25 years where there wasn't someone drafted behind their first pick who didn't turn out to be a better player. But I can think of two guys who took a long time to develop, one that we're pretty happy with, and one we'd like to have back. Byfield is in season +5 of his draft year. Neither Kempe or Vilardi (granted they weren't #2 overall picks) really put it together until year +7 of their draft years. So I'm not going to be particularly impatient with Byfield.
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Modern day Juice emerged during the 2019/20 season. Vilardi had that chronic back problem that cost him more than 2 seasons. In the spring before the 2020 shutdown, Vilardi and Kempe were playing on the Kings most productive line. In Kempe’s case, it was almost as if someone had turned on a light bulb in the second half of the season.

But Kempe also spent multiple seasons in the AHL. And he spent a season and a half trying to be converted into a NHL center. Yes, Vilardi and Juice were both late bloomers, but QB has far more NHL experience at his age than either Vilardi or Kempe had at 22.

And just for fun… speaking of Vilardi, do you think Blake would have made that same trade with Stutzle on the roster?
 
ChiKingFan said:
I'm not really worried about whether he's better than Stutzle. There's maybe two draft the Kings have had in the last 20-25 years where there wasn't someone drafted behind their first pick who didn't turn out to be a better player. But I can think of two guys who took a long time to develop, one that we're pretty happy with, and one we'd like to have back. Byfield is in season +5 of his draft year. Neither Kempe or Vilardi (granted they weren't #2 overall picks) really put it together until year +7 of their draft years. So I'm not going to be particularly impatient with Byfield.
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At this point, there’s absolutely no other option than to be patient. Kings are not getting another crack at a #2 overall(or another 5th overall) for quite some time. We’re stuck with these two.
 
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