Dustin Byfuglien Highlights & Greatest Moments: A Look Back
I feel it has been years since Dustin Byfuglien made headlines after announcing that he was stepping away from the game�albeit through a complicated and rather confusing process (or lack thereof). Byfuglien was not a highly-touted prospect out of Minnesota who was drafted in 2003 by the Blackhawks. After spending a handful of years in the WHL (split between the Brandon Wheat Kings and Prince George Cougars), Byfuglien was finally able to break into the AHL in the 2005-06 season with Norfolk. His first season in the NHL wasn't impressive�only five point in 25 games played. However in his 2007-08 season, the large defenseman (at the time) finished with 36 points in 67 games and finally began to fulfill the team's expectations of him.
Byfuglien may have only spent five seasons with the Blackhawks at the NHL level, however his impact and leadership plowed the way for young stars�such as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews�to ascend and develop the way they were able to. Another interesting factoid of note that many younger Blackhawks fans may not know is that Byfuglien played defense, was drafted as a defenseman, and surely hit like a defenseman. In the 2007-08 season, however, the Blackhawks converted and played him as a forward on the right wing. And no, that doesn't happen often. Byfuglien moving to forward added a crucial element down low for the Hawks, allowing for up and coming stars to have the time and space to make beautiful plays. He was a monster on the ice, and quite frankly is the perfect «I hate that guy, but I would love him on MY team» kind of player. Tom Wilson is a comparable player-type in my opinion, and carries a similar lack of fan-endearment.
I want to get into some of my favorite Byfuglien moments�both with Chicago and Winnipeg�but first lets quickly recap his departure from Chicago, and finally his oddly-timed «retirement». Byfuglien was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers (now WPG Jets) in the summer of 2010 along with Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, and Akim Aliu for first and second picks. From there, he moved with the organization to the wonderful town of Winnipeg and finished his career there in the 2018-19 season. Late in his career, he dealt with multiple injuries to his ankle and lower body, until finally he was granted a leave of absence from the Jets, then suspended, and finally a mutual contract termination was reached�effectively ending his NHL career in 2019. Although strange in his demeanor and departure from the game he loved, Byfuglien left behind plenty of memorable moments to look back at:
2015 Highlights & Brutal Hits with WPG:
2015 Highlights + BRUTAL Hits
Byfuglien LEVELS Mark Stone:
Byfuglien LEVELS Mark Stone
Absolute Rocket of a Slap Shot:
Absolute Rocket of a Slap Shot
Compilation of Early Highlights w/ Chicago Blackhawks:
Early Career Byfuglien Highlights (w/ CHI)
| POLL | ||
Who is your favorite "Big Man" from Byfuglien's era in the NHL? | ||
| Dustin Byfuglien (CHI / WPG) | 87 | 50.3 % |
| Brent Burns (SJ) | 20 | 11.6 % |
| Brendan Smith (NYR) | 40 | 23.1 % |
| Tom Wilson (WSH) | 26 | 15 % |
| List of polls | ||
