Much like Engelland and Bollig, he adds to the team in a certain way. Those guys add 'toughness' - though most would want them out of the lineup permanently, they are here to help make this a bigger and tougher team. Byron adds speed. Without question, he is a pure speed demon who has pretty good IQ. What this translates into is that although his breakaways leave something to be desired, teams have to respect his speed when he is out there. Because defensively he is pretty darn good, it makes it more difficult for other teams to transition against the Flames.
Will Byron be a Flame next year, or in the next few seasons? Who knows? If other prospects push him out, then great. That just means the Flames are getting better. Maybe he works on his shooting a bit - the guy actually has very nice hands and seems to be a very skilled player, but terrible at finishing. I would say that is his biggest obstacle at the moment - his lack of finish. However, for a 4th liner, you simply can't complain.
The guy hits, uses his (small) body effectively and is great on the PK or on the forecheck/backcheck. I don't really see much of a reason to really complain about him.
|