Byfield made NHL history on Oct. 6, 2020, when the Los Angeles Kings selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The center from Newmarket, Ontario, became the highest-selected Black player in the history of the NHL Draft, a distinction previously held by forward Evander Kane (Atlanta Thrashers, 2009) and defenseman Seth Jones (Nashville Predators, 2013); each was selected No. 4 in his draft year.
In his second season with Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League in 2019-20, Byfield scored 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 45 games, helping his team to a first-place finish in the OHL's Central Division. He tied for fifth in the OHL in points per game (1.82), led Sudbury in points, assists and plus-minus rating (plus-26) and was second on the team in goals.
Byfield made NHL history on Oct. 6, 2020, when the Los Angeles Kings selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The center from Newmarket, Ontario, became the highest-selected Black player in the history of the NHL Draft, a distinction previously held by forward Evander Kane (Atlanta Thrashers, 2009) and defenseman Seth Jones (Nashville Predators, 2013); each was selected No. 4 in his draft year.
In his second season with Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League in 2019-20, Byfield scored 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 45 games, helping his team to a first-place finish in the OHL's Central Division. He tied for fifth in the OHL in points per game (1.82), led Sudbury in points, assists and plus-minus rating (plus-26) and was second on the team in goals.
In 109 regular-season games during his first two seasons with Sudbury, Byfield scored 143 points (61 goals, 82 assists). He was taken No. 1 in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection Draft.
Byfield was also the youngest player on the roster when Canada won the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- CHL Rookie of the Year (2019)
- OHL All-Rookie Team (2019)
