Quinton Byfield
After Kempe, the next player who should be viewed as part of the core for the Los Angeles Kings should be Quinton Byfield. He has been playing in the NHL now for the better part of four seasons after the Kings selected him second overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
This was his best season to date but it feels like he is only scratching the surface and has plenty of hockey ahead of him at only 22 years old. He got off to a slow start this season but was playing excellent hockey in the second half with 31 points in the final 32 regular season games.
Byfield would lead the entire NHL in assists in Feburary with 11 before putting together a goal streaks of six and then four games down the stretch.
There is an argument to be made that at this moment, Byfield is the team's best center and it wouldn't be surprising by the end of next season there is no debating that statement.