December 7; Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada. Two minutes and 19 seconds left in the first period between the Kings and Canadiens. Quinton Byfield receives a pass from Adrian Kempe just outside Montreal’s blueline, streaking down the right side.
He accelerates into the zone with a few crossovers, leans in, puck stretched out on his backhand, and powers his way through the crease sending a Montreal defender into a spin before scoring.
That was it. That is when we knew. Quinton Byfield had arrived.
A showcase of speed, strength, and skill. Everything we read about in his draft profiles. This is the player the LA Kings envisioned when they selected him second overall in the 2020 NHL draft.
Playing alongside Anze Kopitar on LA’s top line, Byfield has 22 points (8 goals, 14 assists) in 26 games and is a +12 on the season. Amid this breakout season, we’ve seen a vast improvement in his overall game. But one area of notice is his skating ability.
As a teenager in the NHL, there was a sense of raw talent in development. He was still getting used to his size on the ice. Now, he looks more than comfortable.
So what’s changed? What’s helped him get to this level of comfort? One possible answer is his on-ice work with a World Champion figure skater.
Barb Underhill
In the summer of 2022, a 6’5” Quinton Byfield steps on the ice inside a rink in Toronto. Joining him for this offseason skate is 4’11” Barb Underhill.
Winner of the pairs gold medal at the 1984 World Championships in Ottawa, Underhill has helped countless hockey players with their skating including current Kings Trevor Moore and Carl Grundstrom.
After her start in the realm of hockey with the Guelph Storm in 2008, a team led by a young Drew Doughty, Underhill has continued her journey working with the Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and currently as the skating coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Wasserman sports agency, which represents Byfield, reached out to Underhill last year to see if she had time in her busy schedule to work with him. And she obliged.
In a phone interview with Hockey Royalty, she described her first session with the Kings’ forward. “I got on the ice with him and I was kind of blown away by his athleticism, but at the same time the lack of control that he had over his body.” She saw a project in front of her and it was exciting.
“Within one session I could see how I could help him just by teaching him the control and the balance. Sometimes when you get that feeling about a player, and you know you can help them, and you know you can have an impact. That’s really fun.”
Underhill emphasized that a strong connection needs to be made to see the complete returns on her work with players. And the players themselves need to put in the time as well. With Byfield that was no problem. He was more than willing.
One to two times a week over the last two summers Byfield drove from Richmond Hill in Ontario to Toronto and trained with Barb. And she’s seeing that work pay off in his game now. “Mainly he just looks more balanced to me, and because he’s a little bit more balanced he can access his power.” She also mentioned he’s utilizing his core to gain more strength in his strides.
Quinton conveyed the same message. “She’s the best at what she does. And what she’s been teaching me it’s really good, edges, posture, trying to unlock all my power out there, and my athleticism.”
According to NHL EDGE data, Byfield is in the 96th percentile in top speed (23.15 mph), 97th percentile in 22+ mph bursts, and 91st percentile in 20-22 mph bursts. Yet it’s his agility, spins away from pressure, and body control that catch the eye.
The scary part is Underhill believes there’s even more upside to his skating ability if he continues to hone his craft. I asked if she’d ever come across a player as unique as Quinton Byfield with his combination of size and skill, “I’ve taught a number of players that are 6’5” and up and it’s obviously much harder to get your body to move when you’re that size. So I would say yes, quite unique,” as she chuckled.
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