With the NHL Trade Deadline a little over a week away, it remains to be seen what the Los Angeles Kings will do in terms of trades, if any at all. It would appear that almost all options are on the table, but when it comes to discussing deals, the Kings almost certainly would regret trading him this season.
Entering the season, Quinton Byfield had really high expectations after he was coming off a 20-goal season the year prior. He was moving back to center, which looked to be more of a natural fit for the former second overall pick, and it felt like a breakout season was coming.
It was a slow start to the season as Byfield had only eight goals and 11 assists through the first 36 games of the season. However, recently it has been a different story, and this month in particular, as he has 11 assists and a +/- of +10 in only seven games.
Los Angeles Kings need to keep Quinton Byfield out of trade discussions
With the improvements, it was surprising to read Nick Kypreos' recent Trade Board that included Byfield.
"Quinton Byfield isn't a name we've heard come up in trade rumours until this week, but suddenly he could be in play. Perhaps he is the player Los Angeles can move to change their look for an opening playoff round."
Kypreos certainly makes a logical argument in that if the Kings want to make a big splash, one that could close the gap with the Vegas Golden Knights, then they need to include a player with high upside. That certainly is Quinton Byfield, as he is only 22 years old, but there is room for improvement.
However, with how the Kings have played over the month of February, they may not need to make that big splash to close the gap in the Pacific Division. They are coming off another win against the Vegas Golden Knights, which is now two out of their three meetings, and in terms of point percentage, the margin between the two teams isn't as great as the current point totals may seem to indicate.
If the Kings were to trade Byfield for a big-name player, it probably would be an older veteran and one that might not have many seasons left playing at that high level. The Kings already have some older veterans as it is so trading away a young player like Quinton Byfield could have a major impact on future teams.
By the time the NHL Trade Deadline has passed, the Kings likely will have made a trade or two but if it requires trading Quinton Byfield, they should pass.