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Dustin Byfuglien News & Rumors

Byfuglien to face jury on boating charges
April 19
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"The boating charges against Winnipeg Jet defenceman Dustin Byfuglien will be decided by a jury. Mitchell Robinson, the lawyer for the 27-year-old Byfuglien, met this morning with the judge and Hennepin County district attorneys in Minneapolis in a last-ditch chance to come to a resolution, but were unable to do so. As a result, the next step in the case – which stems from an incident last August 31st on Lake Minnetonka in Minneapolis – will be to schedule it for a jury trial on July 23rd. "We'll pick a jury then and let a jury decide," said Robinson Thursday when reached by The Free Press. "I'm not surprised. I mean, I'm always optimistic that we can settle these cases, but we're still so"
Just bumps and bruises: Buff
March 19
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"Dustin Byfuglien sent a re-assurance to Winnipeg Jets fans on Sunday -- don't worry about my health. The 26-year-old defenceman doesn't speak very often to reporters but he did before the Jets' home game with the Carolina Hurricanes. "It's just little bumps and bruises; you get sore at this time of year," he said about missing a few shifts last Friday night. Still, he played a game-high 22:53 that night. "Sometimes you just need to walk it off. That's all that it was." He said he has managed late-season pain, bumps and bruises before. "It's minor things that happen, that you've just got to take care of," he said. "You try not to overdo things.""
Byfuglien will play, Bogosian hopeful
March 13
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"THE news is not all bad from the Winnipeg Jets' sick bay. Chris Thorburn may be lost for up to a month, but there were two more positive developments Monday. -- Defenceman Zach Bogosian practised with the club and while he left early, that was by design. His availability will be a game-time decision before Wednesday's matchup with the scorching Dallas Stars. -- Dustin Byfuglien did not skate, but head coach Claude Noel said he will play against the Stars. "We've just got to rest him," said Noel. "He's got a lower, below-the-knee function that needs to stay off the ice a little bit. He'll be fine.""
Transformed Big Buff sparks Jets' latest playoff surge
March 8
Winnipeg Free Press
 columnist Gary Lawless
"Claude NOEL and Charlie Huddy have found a way to reach Dustin Byfuglien in a manner like no other coaches before them. The result has been the ascent of both the player and the Winnipeg Jets. Byfuglien is, in Noel's words, "driving the bus," and the entire team has followed. This time last season the Jets were known as the Atlanta Thrashers and were irrelevant in the hockey world but for the noise that surrounded them and a possible move to Winnipeg. After busting out of the gate they crashed by mid-season and finished well out of the playoffs."
Byfuglien has huge impact on return
February 3
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"Say this about Dustin Byfuglien, the Winnipeg Jets' all-star defenceman and lightning rod: The game-changing, difference-making man-mountain sure didn't gather a speck of rust during his 16 games in the infirmary. Making his first appearance since a loss to Pittsburgh in Winnipeg just before Christmas, the 26-year-old logged 25 minutes and 36 seconds of ice time, clanged one off the crossbar in an end-to-end rush, gave the Jets a physical presence defensively and generally served up a solid performance that would cause little doubt about his level of conditioning. In fact, it was Byfuglien who helped set up Kyle Wellwood's OT winner by trapping a Lightning defenceman."
Byfuglien back after 16 games on injury list
February 2
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"Hockey players don't typically do the warm-and-fuzzy, hug-it-out thing. After all, it's not in the DNA of guys who are trained to be cold-hearted assassins on the ice to get all teary-eyed or emotional about teammates and their absences from the active roster. Candidates for a session on the shrink's couch or with Dr. Phil, they are not. So, for the record, Dustin Byfuglien wasn't exactly swarmed by the Winnipeg Jets when his return to the lineup became all-but official -- "game-time decision" is the party line right now -- after practice Wednesday. All that said, his impact on the Jets -- both in terms of what he brings to a game and the clubhouse -- was noticeable during his absence and,"
Buff edging closer to return... maybe Thursday
January 31
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"Dustin Byfuglien and Alex Burmistrov are close to returning, Evander Kane and Tim Stapleton are headed back to Winnipeg for further evaluation and Aaron Gagnon and Spencer Machacek have joined the team from St. John's. Oh, and there was also a minor trade that involved two players playing for the same AHL squad in Abbotsford. So what do you call this kind of roster-shuffling madness for the Winnipeg Jets? Monday."
Verdict is in: Jets, fans love Big Buff
January 31
Winnipeg Free Press
 columnist Gary Lawless
"Before we even met him he was in trouble. Busted for boating while intoxicated and reportedly bloated beyond playing condition. Dustin Byfuglien did not make the best impression on fans of the new Winnipeg Jets. Since then, Byfuglien, whose lawyer will appear at a settlement conference on Thursday to either reach an agreement or set a trial date, has ingrained himself in the Jets organization and with Winnipeg hockey fans. The charges against Byfuglien are based on his refusal to give a urine sample after passing a breathalyzer test when stopped on his boat last summer at Minnesota's Lake Minnetonka. Byfuglien has entered a not guilty plea."
Jets head to Raleigh without Byfuglien, Kane
January 23
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"After a win and a Saturday shootout loss during their brief stay at home this week, the Winnipeg Jets left today for Raleigh, N.C., without stars Dustin Byfuglien and Evander Kane. The Jets meet the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and then play the Rangers in New York on Tuesday."
Buff's knee not ready for game action
January 22
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"DUSTIN Byfuglien said Saturday he misses the fun and is desperate to play. But recovering from his knee injury is not going as well as planned and now it appears he certainly won't be playing in next weekend's NHL all-star game in Ottawa. He will not be traveling with his teammates today to Raleigh, N.C., for the final two games, both on the road, before the all-star break. "You get close to the guys and you end up sitting at home," Byfuglien said Saturday after skating with his teammates for the first time since he left the lineup at Christmas. "You come to the rink and the only ones here are the trainers. I like messing around with the boys and there's no one here to have fun with. It's"
Bogosian ready to go, Byfuglien making progress
January 21
Winnipeg Sun
 
"All signs point to defenceman Zach Bogosian being back in the Winnipeg Jets lineup on Saturday against the Florida Panthers. Bogosian, who missed the past five games with an undisclosed lower-body injury, skated again on Friday and declared himself fit to play following the optional skate. "I'm feeling good," said Bogosian, who has three goals and 19 points in 42 games this season. "What I would like is to play the normal minutes. I'm not sure what the coaches will have in store for me. Coming back off an injury, I haven't skated very much. But I've been feeling good out there in practice. My wind feels good and my legs feel good. It'll be interesting to see how much I play when I get"
Byfuglien battling back for all-star game
January 14
Winnipeg Sun
 
"If there's a silver lining to Dustin Byfuglien's knee injury, it's that he has been able to watch the first few weeks of his newborn daughter's life very closely. The Winnipeg Jets would no doubt love to have their big defenceman back on the blue-line, but Byfuglien has been enjoying fatherhood after his girlfriend gave birth to Kira Rae on Dec. 28. "So far it's been all right," said Byfuglien, who has missed eight games and will sit out Saturday's home clash against the New Jersey Devils. "I haven't been playing or anything, so I'm just hanging out at home and watching her sleep." And what about changing diapers? "Oh yeah," Byfuglien said with a chuckle. "I've had to do that." Byfuglien"
Big Buff a happy guy
January 14
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"It seems that being an NHL all-star and a father rather agree with Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien. The 26-year-old from Roseau, Minn., was as relaxed and engaging as he's been all season Friday when he met with reporters at the MTS Centre to discuss his selection to play in the NHL's all-star game Jan. 29 in Ottawa. Byfuglien hasn't given interviews in weeks, in part because he hasn't played since Dec. 23. He injured his knee -- he confirmed it was that on Friday -- practising after Christmas and will miss a ninth straight game today against the New Jersey Devils. "Any opportunity you get to go to an all-star game, it's a privilege," a smiling Byfuglien said Friday after his"
Big Buff is all-star stuff
January 13
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"He's been a lightning rod for criticism and, before the season had started, had drawn attention for all the wrong reasons. Then, not long after the first puck was dropped, some wanted him moved to forward while many others wanted him on the next bus out of town. But through it all Dustin Byfuglien also managed to play some inspired hockey and now the 26-year-old defenceman is being thrust into the spotlight -- in a good way -- after being named to the roster for the 2012 NHL All-Star Game, Jan. 29 at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. The Winnipeg Jets announced Thursday Byfuglien had been added to the lineup and he'll make his second consecutive appearance with the star-studded squad after"
We saw Big Buff at his best
November 15
Winnipeg Free Press
 columnist Gary Lawless
"If you've been wondering what all the fuss is about in regard to Dustin Byfuglien and why the Winnipeg Jets care so much about him and his game, you got your answer Monday night. Punishing, defensive, judicious and opportunistic describe Byfuglien's game and there was plenty of evidence to back an argument for calling him the best player on the ice. For both teams. "This was Dustin's best game with the Jets," said head coach Claude Noel. "He's got a lot of tools. He can be a great player, not just for us but in this league. He can be outstanding." There's been more ink spilled in the papers and more cell phone minutes racked up calling sports radio on the subject of Big Buff this season"
Blaming Byfuglien
November 8
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"He has become an easy target. A big, 6-5, 260-plus-pound target with the proverbial bull's-eye in bright red on his back. But, just for the record, there a few things that need to be clarified: -- Dustin Byfuglien is NOT responsible for the ongoing financial crisis in Greece; -- Dustin Byfuglien should in no way be linked to Iran's apparent acquisition of nuclear weapons technology; -- And if traffic was lousy this morning, the garbage collection crew missed your house in the weekly pickup, or your kid came home with an F in algebra, then we can pretty much assure you that the guy wearing No. 33 and occasionally playing defence for the Winnipeg Jets had absolutely nothing to do with it."
Has Buff right stuff?
October 16
Winnipeg Free Press
 columnist Gary Lawless
"If Dustin Byfuglien wants to be a forward, let him, because he's making a hash of things right now as a defenceman. Byfuglien is talented, no doubt, and loves to bull his way into the offensive zone and create havoc. The problem is he doesn't have the ability or inclination to recover and get back into the play and protect his own goal. For a defenceman, well, that's just unforgiveable. Byfuglien is not alone in his poor results to date, as the Jets' 0-3 record will attest, but he's an on-ice leader, and the team just has to get good play from him if they are to win games. He's not a spare part, he's a piston, and the Jets' engine just isn't firing right now."
Banner night for Ladd, Byfuglien
October 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien got their first looks at the championship banner they were instrumental in helping the Blackhawks raise when they hit the ice as members of the Winnipeg Jets. The veterans returned to the United Center for the first time since Game 5 of the 2010 Stanley Cup finals when the Hawks and Jets faced off Thursday night. "It's fun to come back to see a lot of familiar faces in the building and just see the banner up there," said Ladd, the Jets' captain. "It was a pretty neat thing. It's funny because my thing during the anthem was I used to look at the banners. It was kind of the goal we were striving to produce and to see that up there was pretty cool.""
Jets Buff still commands respect
September 3
Toronto Sun
 columnist Paul Friesen
"He'll no doubt be hearing catcalls in enemy rinks, even more now that he's given them some fodder. At times, he'll be the butt of jokes about his weight. As if he wasn't already. But when he walks into the Winnipeg Jets dressing room for the first time since his brush with the law in Minnesota, Dustin Byfuglien will command the same respect from teammates as he did before. In the first reaction from a teammate to the star defenceman's arrest on suspicion of boating while impaired, veteran goalie Chris Mason says there's no reason Big Buff won't continue to be a leader and key contributor on the Jets. "No reason, whatsoever," Mason told the Sun, Friday. "Anyone that I've ever known"
NHL's Dustin Byfuglien accused of boating while intoxicated on Lake Minnetonka
September 2
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"NHL all-star and Minnesota native Dustin Byfuglien was arrested Wednesday night on Lake Minnetonka on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. Byfuglien, who was born in Minneapolis and grew up in Roseau, was arrested at 8:15 p.m. on Lower Lake South in Excelsior and refused to take a blood or urine test, according to the Hennepin County sheriff's office. The 26-year-old was booked into the Hennepin County Jail about 11:15 p.m. and released about three hours later, according to jail records. Lisa Kiava, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, said she could not comment on other details of the case, which will be presented to the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District attorney for"
Report: Former Hawks player Byfuglien arrested
September 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"Former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Dustin Byfuglien reportedly was arrested late Wednesday night on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. A Minneapolis Star Tribune report cited jail records showing Byfuglien, who was a major contributor to the Hawks' 2010 Stanley Cup championship before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers, was brought into the Hennepin County, Minn., jail around 11:10 p.m. and released a few hours later."
Jets' Byfuglien arrested, accused of boating while intoxicated
September 1
Winnipeg Free Press
 
"Jets star defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was arrested late Wednesday night in Minneapolis for suspicion of boating while intoxicated. A Hennepin County arrest report said the 26-year-old Minnesota native was charged just after 11 p.m. and released from custody Thursday morning at 2:23 a.m."
Byfuglien will miss Carolina game, Postma re-called
March 9
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Dustin Byfuglien did not make the trip with the Thrashers to Raleigh for Wednesday's game against the Hurricanes. Byfuglien left Monday's practice early and did not practice on Tuesday. The Thrashers are listing the injury as "lower body." Byfuglien, listed as day to day, will miss his first game of the season."
Byfuglien has been "sore for little while"
March 10
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has been "sore for a little while" and that his lower-body injury acted up in Monday's practice. Byfuglien did not travel with the Thrashers to Raleigh for tonight's game against Carolina and will miss his first game of the season. "He couldn't skate again [Tuesday]," Ramsay said. "We decided to err on the side of caution." Byfuglien is the team's second leading scorer (19 goals, 30 assists). Ramsay said the Thrashers will face a challenge without the all-star."