Quinton Byfield Ranked #1 Prospect in the NHL By The Athletic

In his fourth annual prospect rankings article, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic listed four LA Kings prospects in his top-50 best players across the league. To make the news even sweeter, all four prospects were ranked in the top-30.

Wheeler's list does come with clauses:
- Players must be under 23-years-old - Not currently in the NHL or are not considered full-time NHLers yet - Either signed to an NHL contract or have been selected in NHL draft

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1.Quinton Byfield (Center, 18-years-old)

With the cancellation of the 2020-21 OHL season, Byfield was able to join the Kings AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign and play the majority of the season. In 32 games with the Reign, Byfield recorded 20 points (8-12=20). Late in both the NHL and AHL season, Byfield's play with the Reign warranted the 6'4" center six games with the Kings where he tallied one assist, nine shots and averaged 15:00 TOI.
Byfield topped Wheeler's list this year beating out the likes of of last year's breakout sensation Cole Caufield, the 2021 no. 1 overall selection Owen Power and promising prospect Trevor Zegras.
According to Wheeler, "I debated four names for this slot but I always seemed to come back to Byfield's ceiling as the most high-end of the bunch… there aren't many 6-foot-4, 220-pound players who can skate and make plays like he can. He's got legitimate first-line center upside in a way that no other prospect in the sport currently does."

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7. Brandt Clarke (RHD, 18-years-old)

The Kings 2021 first-round selection at no. 8 slotted in at no. 7 on Wheeler's list, following fellow 2021 first-round pick Kent Johnson (drafted fifth overall) and just ahead of Matthew Beniers (the 2021 second overall pick). Clarke, another player who fell victim to no OHL season this past year traveled to Slovakia for an abbreviated season and recorded 15 points (5-10=15) in 25 games.
"Clarke has offensive zone skill that is extremely hard to find among defensemen. He's just a roving, confident, attacking defender with an uncanny ability to beat opposing players side-to-side, find his way into dangerous areas and then execute NHL-level plays to drive offense… and he's actually a pretty darn good defender against the rush and inside his own zone," Wheeler wrote.

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25. Arthur Kaliyev (Right Wing/Left Winger, 20-years-old)

The Kings 2019 2nd-round draft pick (33rd overall) has done nothing but continue to impress with his offensive game and defensively development. Coming at no. 25 on Wheeler's list is well-deserved recognition for a player who holds offensive talents unlike many in the game of hockey.
"You can count on two hands the number of hockey players on the planet who can shoot the puck anywhere near the way he can. Not prospects. Players. NHL stars included," said Wheeler. "The Kings' next chapter is going to need some game-breakers to insulate the glut of well-rounded top-nine players they have coming. That's where Kaliyev should fit in. Find him the right linemates, use him on PP1 and don't look back. He's going to fill nets under the right coach/circumstances."

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30. Alex Turcotte (Center/Left Wing, 20-years-old)

Turcotte's injury-riddled 2020-21 campaign that started at the 2021 World Junior Championships where he and teammate Arthur Kaliyev won gold likely kept the Elk Grove, Illinois native from being higher on Wheeler's list. Unable to play a full season at 100% with the Reign, Turcotte still made the most of his rookie season. In 32 games with the Reign, Turcotte impressively notched 21 points (6-15=21).
Wheeler, who also addressed Turcotte's unfortunate stint of injuries was nothing but complimentary of the future that the 2019 5th overall draft pick has: "I'm still a big believer in Turcotte] as a hardworking, up-tempo facilitator who forechecks effectively, gets to loose pucks and then allows his skill and his spatial awareness to take over so that he can drive pucks to the middle of the ice or put pucks there for teammates to capitalize on."
[Watch: Youtube Video
You can read Scott Wheeler's full evaluations of the four Kings prospects and the full list of the top-50 prospects going into the 2021-21 season here.