Quinton Byfield is going to become even more prominent in the Los Angeles Kings spotlight in his sixth season, especially after Anze Kopitar's retirement. Many saw Byfield as the next man up in Los Angeles for some time, but he hasn't completely proven that he has what it takes. His career high of 55 points came in 2023-24, and he has been stuck around that number for each of the next two seasons.
It isn't that his ceiling is a 55-point player at 23. He still has some maturing to do, and his prime is still years away. However, NHL organizations want to see their young, top-six forwards gradually improve their output year over year until they become stars, and that hasn't been the case for Byfield.
Byfield could enter this season in a bigger role with Kopitar gone and flourish as the team's next No. 1 center. He wouldn't be the first player to break out at 23 and figure things out at the NHL level. Even Nathan MacKinnon was stuck around the 55-point mark for the first four seasons of his career before finally breaking out when he was 22, which is something that Byfield can look to for inspiration.
Byfield does have other reasons for optimism. He played through multiple oblique injuries down the stretch run as the Kings clinched a playoff spot, and recorded 19 points in 24 games. The playoffs didn't go as well with two assists in four games, but the young center can definitely build on his post-Olympic break.
Most players shut it down with one oblique tear.
— NHLMuse (@NHL_Muse) April 29, 2026
Just after the olympic break Quinton Byfield tore his right… healed… then tore his left.
Somehow, that stretch turned into his BEST hockey of the year:
24 games
13 goals
6 assists
19 points
Hockey players are built different. pic.twitter.com/LGRVv2X5DG
The problem for the Kings is that they will have to make a decision on Byfield this season. He has been fine as a complementary middle-six forward for a long time, thanks to his durability and skill set, but he has to show he is a No. 1 center. If he doesn't, Los Angeles can start making alternative plans, and that could include the pending futures of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
Who is the Los Angeles Kings No.1 center of the future?
Both players would give different viewpoints. If Matthews decides to leave Toronto, he'd be worth looking at for Los Angeles, but not at the expense of Byfield. Some mock trades had Byfield going the other way to join the Maple Leafs if that were to happen, but the Kings should be very wary of trading their young center for someone who has a ton of injury concerns and whose goal-scoring is on the decline.
However, if McDavid decides that Edmonton isn't for him, the Kings might want to reconsider their stance on everyone on their roster to make that happen. Kopitar was one of the best two-way centers of the modern era, but the Kings haven't had an offensive superstar in a long time. McDavid is showing no signs of slowing down, and he would be the perfect add either through trade leading up to his UFA status or when his contract ends in 2028.
