Player Information:
Name – Quinton Byfield
Position – Centre
League – Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Team – Sudbury Wolves
Shoots – Left
Age/DOB: 17-years-old, August 19th, 2002
Nation – Canadian
Height – 6’4
Weight – 214 lbs
OHL Drafted: Sudbury Wolves, first round, first overall in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection Draft
Potential: First Line Centre
Statistics
Byfield is considered by most to be the second-best player in the 2020 draft class under Alexis Lafreniere. The former first overall pick by the Sudbury Wolves at the 2018 OHL Priority Selection Draft has not disappointed during his time in Sudbury, leading his team back into the playoffs. Many say he has the size and skill of Evgeni Malkin, however, he is already bigger and uses his size a bit more.
Many teams have been known to draft big players in the high rounds as size has always been something that teams desire. However, teams have made mistakes in the past using high picks on big players who do not possess an elite skill set. With Byfield however, you are getting a big-bodied physical center with an elite skill-set, a rare luxury in today’s game.
Scouting Notes
What makes Quinton Byfield such as exciting prospect is his combination of size and skill. Byfield is as skilled, if not more, than the typical top NHL prospect, however, he brings size to his game which is what separates him from the others. His skating abilities, puck-handling abilities, hockey IQ and skating are all at a high level, but when you take into account the physical aspect of his game combined with his pure skill, that is what makes Byfield stand out.
He uses his long reach with his stick to his advantage to poke the puck from opposing players sticks and break up passes. With his size and reach, he is also quite hard to knock off of the puck and is able to position himself in from of opposing goaltenders and it is hard to move around and defend against based on his size and strength. He has all of the tools necessary to be a star in the NHL and as one of the younger players in the draft class, his size and strength are ready for the NHL.