QB in play?

[Bigshot]

This is Byfield’s 3rd year.
A 1st round pick.
If you ever see him put a body on someone let me know….. he’s soft for a big guy.
Should be scoring 25-30 goals a season at this point.
I’d love to see him traded but the Kings hate to admit a mistake so we’ll be stuck with him I’m afraid.

 

[Clif]

To me that's kind of the problem this year, we never replaced the 40 points PLD scored and like you said he was 3rd on the team in PP goals impressive given it was slop duty on the 2nd unit. I know he didn't work out here but I didn't think he was all that bad but I get when you are getting paid $8,500,000 you have to produce more. I watch all of Washington's game and he looks completely different and engaged alot more than he was here. I'll assume Wilson and Ovechkin said "your sh*t ain't gonna fly here!"

I expected the points bump but hearing he looks more engaged now is what actually hurts. To me the consistency he had in getting beaten off the puck by smaller players became unforgivable. As for those two policing him on the caps, that makes sense. I think Kings have a really great culture for friendship. It’s not clear they have a decent culture for accountability.

 

[DryKing]

I expected the points bump but hearing he looks more engaged now is what actually hurts. To me the consistency he had in getting beaten off the puck by smaller players became unforgivable. As for those two policing him on the caps, that makes sense. I think Kings have a really great culture for friendship. It’s not clear they have a decent culture for accountability.

Personally I am happy for PLD. He ended up on a stacked Caps team with one of the best scoring wingers in history (who is still on his game) and has taken full advantage of it. Additionally there are enough physical presences on the team to ensure he does not need to use his body and be one.

His shooting % of over 14 is an anomaly for his career and his numbers will likely plummet back to earth in future seasons when both his shooting % comes back to his normal range and some of those physical presences around him slow down (or once he finds a reason to become disgruntled once again).

Nice to see him find success, though, even if it is not with the Kings. The system and coaching here never fit his game and we didn't have the personnel on the team to cover his weaknesses like the Caps do.

 

[Earl]

I expected the points bump but hearing he looks more engaged now is what actually hurts. To me the consistency he had in getting beaten off the puck by smaller players became unforgivable. As for those two policing him on the caps, that makes sense. I think Kings have a really great culture for friendship. It’s not clear they have a decent culture for accountability.

On the Caps policing him I was just guessing on that but someone got to him I think to let him know the lackadaisical style he did in LA won't fly in Washington. To me last year the frustrating thing was he would show you flashes of brilliance like the home game vs Seattle where he had the primary assists on all 3 of Moore's goals but then in the very next set of 2-3 games was completely invisible. I still agree with the original trade on paper as we were not going to beat Edmonton with Villardi,Kupari or Iafallo and having McDavid have to go through Kopitar,Danault,Dubois and Byfield was good in theory but something got lost in translation and it obviously didn't pan out for him here. I did ask a very well respected NHL scout his take on Dubois and he said "on paper he has all the tools but since juniors up until now he's been the most skilled player on his team so he never learned the team game..." Was watching the 2017 World Juniors and kind of forgot PLD was on the team and son of a bitch he played the exact same style in the tourney did he did all of last year. I likened him to a girlfriend who always cheats(girls reading this you can sub in boyfriend)and each new team is the new guy who thinks they can get him to be a good boy!! Apparently Washington is succeeding.