Byfield eager to finally have healthy start to season

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield is looking forward to the chance to get off to a hot start for the first time in his young career this October.

A broken ankle in 2021-22 and an extended illness in 2022-23 sidetracked Byfield off the hop in each of the past two campaigns, and he's ready to start the upcoming season at full strength.

"It's just nice to feel good to do things like this and be feeling good heading into a new season for a change," Byfield said, per NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "That hasn't been the case in previous years."

He added: "You know, it's always been a struggle for me for the start of seasons. The one year it seemed like I broke my ankle in a thousand different places. And even at the start of last season I was sick for a bunch of weeks. That's why this is important. Hopefully this year, going in, I can stay healthy, be able to produce early on and help the team."

Byfield was drafted second overall in 2020 with tremendous hype after a prolific junior career with the OHL's Sudbury Wolves. He's only appeared in 99 NHL games to date and registered 33 points.

The soon-to-be 21-year-old admitted his setbacks have been frustrating to endure.

"It hasn't been fun at all," he said. "You're excited all summer for the season, and you train all summer for it. And then, for something to happen to sideline things both years, that definitely (stinks)."

Byfield set career highs in games played (53), points (22), and shots (74) last season, then added four points in six postseason contests as the Kings were eliminated in Round 1 at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

Los Angeles will enter the 2023-24 season with heightened expectations after landing Pierre-Luc Dubois in a blockbuster trade with the Winnipeg Jets earlier this summer.

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