Quinton Byfield, F
There might not be a bigger x-factor in the middle of the roster lineup for the Kings to be successful in the Pacific Division this upcoming season than the young and talented center Quinton Byfield.
While Byfield has shown flashes of becoming a cornerstone player for the franchise, there is still another level to his offensive game that the Kings are hoping he can reach. As the former No. 2 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft lottery, Byfield remains one of the most important young players in the organization and a key piece of the franchise's future.
With Kopitar retired and Peter Laviolette taking over behind the bench, Byfield will likely be asked to carry a larger offensive workload than ever before.
Down the stretch this past regular season, Byfield showed flashes of starting to become the versatile standout center he was billed to be as a top-two pick in the 2020 draft lottery for the Kings. All while fighting through lower-body injuries in the last couple of months of this past regular season, Byfield registered over a dozen goals and 19 total points in 24 games played after the Olympic break in late February.
The combination of a new head coach and a strong finish to last season could be exactly what Byfield needs to take the next step. If he can build on the momentum he showed after the Olympic break, he has the potential to emerge as one of the Kings' most important players in 2026-27.
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