Colorado Avalanche Draft Profile: Underrated Quinton Byfield

The Colorado Avalanche will probably pick very low in the 2020 NHL Draft, when Quinton Byfield is long-gone from the draft board.

Center Quinton Byfield is another player whom the Colorado Avalanche will be unable to pick. He’s ranked second among all North American skaters by Central Scouting, and many draft lists have him going second-overall.

Since the Avs are no longer in the 48-Point and Matt Duchene trade aftermath, we have no chance in the draft lottery. We’ll probably be picking around #29.

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Let’s see how Qinton Byfield is going to make some team happy.

Quinton Byfield Stats

Quinton Byfield is a big boy — 6-foot-4, 214 pounds — and he’s only 17 years old. He turns 18 in August. He’s played two seasons in the OHL for the Sudbury Wolves. In that time, he’s recorded 61 goals and 82 assists for 143 points in 109 games. Before the season ended prematurely, Byfield had 32 goals and 50 assists in 45 games.

Byfield has also represented Canada, playing for Canada Black at the Under-17 tournament, for which he was an alternate captain, He also played in the Under-20 tournament. He was named an OHL All Star in the Junior Super Series.

The Hockey Writers calls him underrated because he’s dropped to number three and even four on some draft lists. However, the site sees him as having a “sky high ceiling” in a similar trajectory to Evgeni Malkin.

Cam Robinson of Dobber Prospects describes Byfield as “A physical specimen who blends exceptional power to a speed-driven, skill game. His quick hands allow him to maneuver in tight spaces, while the long reach propels his puck-protection.”

Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com describes him thus: “The left-shot center is a powerful skater with breakaway speed and an exceptional skill set.”

Generally, he has all the attributes you’d expect to see of a top-three draft pick — soft hands, speed, agility, and good hockey sense.

Quinton Byfield Highlights

As you can see, Quinton Byfield makes for a big presence on the ice:

Quite the net-front presence. Let’s call that his office.

Colorado Avalanche and Quinton Byfield

Quinton Byfield is an interesting prospect. He sure is lanky, and you’ve got to think he’s going to bulk up. He’s exactly the kind of player the Colorado Avalanche were looking for a few years ago.

Not that we’d turn our noses up at him now. I didn’t get much of a chance to see his skating for speed, but he does display agility. Skating will be an essential component for whomever the Avalanche pick in the first round.

Of course, like I said, it doesn’t matter. As underrated as Byfield may be, he’s not falling down into the 20s where Colorado is going to pick.

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We don’t know yet what the 2020 NHL Draft is going to look like, or even when it will take place. We won’t be getting Quinton Byfield, but I have confidence we’ll get a good player.

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