The 2025-26 NHL season has been an up and down battle for Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield, but the 23-year-old has saved his best for hockey for the right time as he tries to help bring the Kings into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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You know, part of me says, like, why would you pick a team from the West?
You know, part of me says, like, why would you pick a team from the West?
But I’m going to pick a team from the West, even though they’re going to go up against, you know, what looks like it’s going to be, Colorado or Dallas.
But I’m going to pick a team from the West, even though they’re going to go up against, you know, what looks like it’s going to be, Colorado or Dallas.
Like, oh my God.
Like, oh my God.
You know, how, how can you figure out, like, how can you, you know, justify a wildcard team beating one of those?
You know, how, how can you figure out, like, how can you, you know, justify a wildcard team beating one of those?
But- Oh, boy I, I just look at LA and, you know, DJ Smith is basically coaching to prove that he’s gonna be there next season.
But- Oh, boy I, I just look at LA and, you know, DJ Smith is basically coaching to prove that he’s gonna be there next season.
this is his kind of chance.
this is his kind of chance.
I think, you know, for a guy like Panarin, you know, he seems really happy there.
I think, you know, for a guy like Panarin, you know, he seems really happy there.
Like, I don’t know if you saw the- Yeah the video that was coming out when he went back to the Rangers and, you know, and you wonder Y- you don’t wonder why this guy was so popular in New York.
Like, I don’t know if you saw the- Yeah the video that was coming out when he went back to the Rangers and, you know, and you wonder Y- you don’t wonder why this guy was so popular in New York.
He is just so personable, and I think he’s having a great time in LA.
He is just so personable, and I think he’s having a great time in LA.
I wish that Kevin Fiala were healthy right now because- Yeah, I know I feel a lot better about the Kings.
I wish that Kevin Fiala were healthy right now because- Yeah, I know I feel a lot better about the Kings.
But I’ll, I’ll say that, you know, the, the Kings, you know, they, they could be a team, you know, based on Panarin and based on DJ Smith just being so desperate to kind of stay behind the bench that I, I wouldn’t wanna face them in the first round.
But I’ll, I’ll say that, you know, the, the Kings, you know, they, they could be a team, you know, based on Panarin and based on DJ Smith just being so desperate to kind of stay behind the bench that I, I wouldn’t wanna face them in the first round.
All right.
All right.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
All right, Ryan, you’re up.
All right, Ryan, you’re up.
Yeah, I’ll go, in the East, I’ll go with the New York Islanders, and, the big reason is Ilya Sorokin.
Yeah, I’ll go, in the East, I’ll go with the New York Islanders, and, the big reason is Ilya Sorokin.
Oh.
Oh.
here’s a goaltender where if you have to face him in the first round, like, that could be a bad time for you.
here’s a goaltender where if you have to face him in the first round, like, that could be a bad time for you.
Like, if any team was to get goalied in a playoff series- Yeah it would be whoever has to play the Islanders.
Like, if any team was to get goalied in a playoff series- Yeah it would be whoever has to play the Islanders.
And, you know, obviously we talked about Matthew Schaefer and how great he’s been.
And, you know, obviously we talked about Matthew Schaefer and how great he’s been.
Um- Mm-hmm you know, adding Brayden Schenn at the deadline makes them more experienced, heavier up front, a little deeper up front.
Um- Mm-hmm you know, adding Brayden Schenn at the deadline makes them more experienced, heavier up front, a little deeper up front.
but to me, it comes down to Sorokin, and this is a guy that has somehow, like, quietly had a Vezina season.
but to me, it comes down to Sorokin, and this is a guy that has somehow, like, quietly had a Vezina season.
It feels like- I agree people are talking about other goalies.
It feels like- I agree people are talking about other goalies.
Yeah.
Yeah.
you know, and people are like, “Oh, Vasilevskiy’s a shoo-in.”
you know, and people are like, “Oh, Vasilevskiy’s a shoo-in.”
It’s like, okay, yeah, Tampa’s had a lot of injuries, but, you know, Vasilevskiy didn’t start hot.
It’s like, okay, yeah, Tampa’s had a lot of injuries, but, you know, Vasilevskiy didn’t start hot.
Sorokin- I feel like we’ve also just been talking a lot about bad goalies so much – Right.
Sorokin- I feel like we’ve also just been talking a lot about bad goalies so much – Right.
Yeah we haven’t talked about the good ones.
Yeah we haven’t talked about the good ones.
Like The anti-Vezina.
Like The anti-Vezina.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
but yeah, like Sorokin, like his goals saved above expected is best in the league last time I checked.
but yeah, like Sorokin, like his goals saved above expected is best in the league last time I checked.
so that would be a team that I’d, I’d be kind of concerned, could really lock it down in the playoffs.
so that would be a team that I’d, I’d be kind of concerned, could really lock it down in the playoffs.
We’ve seen them do it before.
We’ve seen them do it before.
We’ve seen them make runs to the conference final.
We’ve seen them make runs to the conference final.
It wasn’t that long ago, and some of those guys are still on that team.
It wasn’t that long ago, and some of those guys are still on that team.
They know what they’re doing
They know what they’re doing