Quinton Byfield Explained

Quinton Byfield
Birth Date:19 August 2002
Birth Place:Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lb:220
Position:Forward
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:Los Angeles Kings
Prospect League:AHL
Draft:2nd overall
Draft Year:2020
Draft Team:Los Angeles Kings
Career Start:2021

Quinton Byfield (born August 19, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Byfield was selected second overall by the Kings in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with the team in 2021.

Playing career

Byfield was the first overall pick in the 2018 OHL Draft and won both OHL Rookie of the Year and CHL Rookie of the Year.[1] In 2018–19, he put up 29 goals and 61 points in 64 games.[2] After his second overall selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Byfield was signed by the Los Angeles Kings to a three-year, entry-level contract on October 16, 2020.[3] He was assigned to the Kings' American Hockey League (AHL) roster to begin the 2020–21 season where he played on a line with Akil Thomas and Devante Smith-Pelly. His line became the first all-Black line in professional ice hockey since Herb Carnegie, Ossie Carnegie, and Manny McIntyre in the 1940s. During their first game together, Thomas recorded a natural hat-trick and his line combined for six points in the eventual win.[4] On April 28, 2021, Byfield made his NHL debut in a 3–2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.[5] He recorded his first NHL point on May 5, 2021, in a 4–2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.[6]

In October 2021, Byfield fractured his ankle, keeping him from joining the Kings.[7] Byfield eventually returned to the NHL level on January 20, 2022.[8] He scored his first NHL goal in a matchup against the New York Islanders on January 27, in a 3–2 win over the New York Islanders.[9] On April 25, 2023, Byfield scored his first NHL Playoff goal in a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.[10]

International play

Byfield won a silver medal at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.[11] Byfield won a Gold Medal with Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championships held in the Czech Republic, posting one assist in seven games. Byfield won a silver medal with Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championships held in Canada, posting two goals and five assists for seven points in seven games.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2017–18Newmarket HurricanesOJHL1 1 1 2 0
2018–19Sudbury WolvesOHL64 29 32 61 388 3 5 8 16
2019–20Sudbury WolvesOHL45 32 50 82 44
2020–21Ontario ReignAHL32 8 12 20 241 0 0 0 0
2020–21Los Angeles KingsNHL6 0 1 1 2
2021–22Ontario ReignAHL11 4 2 6 10
2021–22Los Angeles KingsNHL40 5 5 10 202 0 0 0 4
2022–23Ontario ReignAHL16 9 6 15 18
2022–23Los Angeles KingsNHL53 3 19 22 306 1 3 4 2
2023–24Los Angeles KingsNHL80 20 35 55 425 0 4 4 4
NHL totals179 28 60 88 9413 1 7 8 10

International

YearTeamEventGP G A Pts PIM
2018Canada BlackU175 2 1 3 12
2019CanadaHG185 3 2 5 4
2020CanadaWJC7 0 1 1 4
2021CanadaWJC7 2 5 7 4
Junior totals24 7 9 16 24

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
OHL
Emms Family Award2018–19
CHL
CHL Rookie of the Year2018–19

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kerr . Ben . 2020 NHL Draft – An Early Look and Rankings . Last Word on Hockey . August 13, 2019.
  2. Web site: Morreale . Mike . Lafreniere headlines 2020 NHL Draft prospects . NHL . August 13, 2019.
  3. Web site: LA Kings sing Quinton Byfield to three-year, entry-level contract . . October 16, 2020 . October 16, 2020.
  4. Web site: Harrison . Doug . Akil Thomas notches natural hat trick to lead hockey's 1st all-Black line since '40s . cbc.ca . March 22, 2021 . March 22, 2021.
  5. Web site: Quinton Byfield Makes NHL Debut with LA Kings . NHL.com . January 30, 2022 . April 28, 2021.
  6. Web site: Elliott . Helene . Column: 1,000-point milestone reaffirms Kopitar as one of L.A.'s most accomplished athletes . Los Angeles Times . January 30, 2022 . May 5, 2021.
  7. Web site: Promising rookie forward Quinton Byfield, 19, out indefinitely with ankle injury for Los Angeles Kings . ESPN.com . October 8, 2021 . October 6, 2021.
  8. Web site: Whicker . Mark . Whicker: Quinton Byfield's return spices up Kings' season . Orange County Register . January 30, 2022 . January 20, 2022.
  9. Web site: Kreda . Allan . Quinton Byfield scores 1st NHL goal as Kings edge Islanders . Daily News . January 28, 2022 . January 27, 2022.
  10. Web site: Kings' Byfield scores first career playoff goal off slick feed from Vilardi . 2023-04-26 . www.sportsnet.ca.
  11. Web site: Byfield scores, but Canada settles for silver at Hlinka . The Sudbury Star . August 16, 2019.