2020 NHL Draft: Byfield vs. Stuetzle

The 2020 NHL Draft will be held virtually Oct. 6-7. The first round will be Oct. 6 (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS). Rounds 2-7 are Oct. 7 (11:30 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects and other features. Today, a comparison between top draft-eligible forwards Quinton Byfield of Sudbury and Tim Stuetzle of Mannheim. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Who is the next best forward after left wing Alexis Lafreniere of Rimouski in the 2020 NHL Draft?
Many scouts project that either center Quinton Byfield of Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League or left wing Tim Stuetzle of Mannheim of Germany could be the next best option.
RELATED: [Complete 2020 NHL Draft coverage]
Lafreniere (6-foot-1, 193 pounds), No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, is expected to be the first player selected in the draft after he led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 112 points (35 goals, 77 assists) in 52 games and was named the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospect of the Year.
Byfield (6-4, 215), No. 2 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, finished 14th in the OHL with 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists), was sixth in points-per game (1.82) and had a 51.9 face-off winning percentage (304-for-586) in 45 games.
"When Mark Messier entered the League, he was a raw-boned kid," said Craig Button, TSN resident director of scouting, NHL analyst and former NHL general manager. "When he turned 21, he started to assert himself. He knew he had skill, but now he was going to impose his will. I think that's where Quinton finds himself ... it's getting that maturity of imposing himself. I don't think there's any player that has more potential in this draft than Quinton, but there's a difference between having potential and realizing it."
Stuetzle (6-1, 187), No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's rankings of International skaters, scored 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists) and had 132 shots on goal in 41 games for Mannheim of Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the top professional league in Germany. He also had five assists and averaged 18:43 in ice time in five games for Germany at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
"I have Stuetzle ahead of Byfield, but we're talking a paper-thin difference," Button said. "Stuetzle reminds me of (Chicago Blackhawks forward) Patrick Kane with respect to his ability to be creative, imaginative and bold. When I talk about Kane, I always refer to him as having the guts of a cat burglar because he decides when he's giving up the puck; he scares people."
In a poll conducted by NHL.com of 11 NHL scouts who were asked which player they would choose if given the option, Byfield earned an 8-3 advantage.
NHL.com sought the opinion of NHL evaluators who have watched Byfield and Stuetzle this season. They promised honesty in exchange for anonymity.

In favor of Quinton Byfield

"By the end of his first season in Sudbury (2018-19), he was already pretty dominant and was no longer a first-year player; you could tell he was one of the better players in the OHL. Because of his size and his mobility, he makes it so tough to be contained. I don't like comparing players, but there is a lot of similarity to (Pittsburgh Penguins center) Evgeni Malkin. I think Byfield is going to get a little bit thicker and stronger, but he's already a powerhouse. When he decides he wants to beat you with power, he can, and the next time you think he's just going to bowl over you, and he dangles you and beats you a different way. That combination is rare for a player, especially with that size. He also thinks the game so well. I don't think he gets as much credit for how much of a playmaker he is, and that will help him as he gets to the next level as well."
"I think I go Byfield right now. Part of a scout's job is to project into the future. I think if you were going at this time right now, Stuetzle might have a bit of the edge. But I'm looking five years down the road and, for me, I would take Byfield."
"They each possesses high-end skill, skating ability and hockey IQ. They have ability to push defenders back and on their heels. Byfield does it with his power and Stuetzle with his speed. Stuetzle is quick in tight areas, slippery. Byfield has the ability to turn you, drive the net with his strength and size. Byfield has some pushback in his game; I know he's not a big fighter although I have seen him do it, but I like his size and strength. Stuetzle has more of a finesse game. If I'm picking, I'd go with Byfield because of his overall powerful game. He's a big man who has skill, sense and skating ability. I think he is also more NHL ready."
"When you build through the draft you build down the middle and on defense. I think Byfield has the size and that skill package to play and be effective against other team's top players. When it comes right down to it, you can't get those guys through free agency or in trades. Sometimes it takes those bigger guys a little bit longer than everybody else; they're big but they're still teddy bears so it takes a little some work. Once they realize they can impose their will on people, they can dominant the game."

In favor of Tim Stuetzle

"It's more or less a toss-up, in my opinion, but if you would force me to decide, I'd go Stuetzle. There are reasons for both players, but the reasons for Stuetzle are, in my view, because he's the better skater, and quicker and more mobile than Byfield. He's also more creative. I also like Byfield's skating and I witnessed some creative plays in his game, but to me Stuetzle is even better in these two departments."
"It's a tight one, and they're right beside each other for me. I think at this point I give the edge to Stuetzle because I think he's more dynamic. An unknown with Byfield is what's going to come out of that big frame and power that he has. If he's a home run, he's a big home run. Stuetzle is so dynamic and has a lot of confidence for a young kid."
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