Big Buff ‘was all in right away’

Dustin Byfuglien is returning to the Winnipeg Jets.

No, it’s not to suit up with the current edition of the club, as fun as that notion might be. The 40-year-old remains comfortably and very privately retired, more than six years after he abruptly hung up his skates and walked away from more than US$14 million in outstanding salary

Rather, one of the most beloved and unique athletes we’ve ever seen around here has agreed to suit up for an alumni game that will be held prior to the Heritage Classic next fall between Winnipeg and Montreal. Byfuglien was one of several names included on preliminary rosters released Tuesday, marking a long-awaited return to his former hockey home.

“You’d be surprised — he was all in right away,” honourary Jets alumni captain Blake Wheeler said during a news conference inside Canada Life Centre

“I think he’s fired up to go back.”

Nobody knew it at the time, but Byfuglien’s final game in Winnipeg came in the spring of 2019 as the Jets hosted Game 5 of their first-round playoff meeting against the St. Louis Blues. Winnipeg lost that night, then went on the road and dropped Game 6 — and the series — to the eventual Stanley Cup champions.

The only Byfuglien sightings since were a pair of video tributes he sent in to mark milestones games for Wheeler and Connor Hellebuyck which had crowds inside Canada Life Centre erupting in cheers.

“There will be a ton of excitement for him,” said Wheeler. “It’s a great opportunity for him to feel the love in this city. It’s something everyone will look forward to. It will be a great moment for him.”

Other former 2.0 Jets joining Wheeler and Byfuglien will include Bryan Little, Andrew Ladd, Mathieu Perreault, Paul Stastny and Chris Thorburn. Further names will be announced in the coming months.

The game will be held Oct. 24 at the downtown rink. The modern-day Jets and Canadiens will then face off on Oct. 25 at Princess Auto Stadium.

“It was a built-in excuse for a family reunion,” said Wheeler, who was one of the original Atlanta Thrashers who re-located to Winnipeg in 2011. He spent 12 seasons with the Jets before being bought out of the final year of his deal following the 2022-23 campaign.

“Just the response to it and how excited all the guys were — I didn’t have to bribe anyone, so that was great.”

Wheeler went on to play one final campaign with the New York Rangers, suffering a gruesome leg injury that limited him to 54 regular season games and one final playoff appearance in the spring of 2024. The idea of taking another twirl with long-time linemates Ladd and Little brought an instant smile to his face.

“I don’t know who’s coaching the team but i think that’s going to be a good line to put together,” said Wheeler. “Those are guys I still keep in touch with. Obviously we had some on-ice moments, and it will be great to get back out there with those two.”

The first players announced for the Canadiens squad include Mike Keane, who now works in player development with the Jets, along with Dale Weise (a native Winnipegger), Patrice Brisebois, David Desharnais, Paul Byron and David Savard.

“I will have to get back on the ice so I don’t embarrass myself more than I will already,” said Keane, who hasn’t skated “in about two years.”

The 58-year-old began his NHL career with the Habs in 1988-89, playing parts of eight seasons with the bleu blanc et rouge and winning the Stanley Cup in 1992-93 — the last Canadian team to do so.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, especially with teammates you haven’t seen in a long time. You always connect right away,” said Keane.

“Once you are a Montreal Canadien, you’re a Montreal Canadien for life.”

Is he looking forward to doing battle with Big Buff?

“We’re not going to brawl him, I know that,” Keane said with a laugh. “Not unless we’re calling Chris Nilan back and a couple other guys. No, Buff’s always been a lot of fun.”

The Jets hosted an alumni game against the Edmonton Oilers prior to the 2016 Heritage Classic at the football stadium. Among the participants that year were Dale Hawerchuk, Teemu Selanne, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.

Wheeler said his favourite part of that weekend was the hot stove session in which ex-players talked about the good old days of Jets vs Oilers battles in the former Smythe Division.

“I was nerding out so hard just hearing all their old stories,” he said. “What that rivalry meant to them, the playoff series and just the buzz in town. It felt like maybe since the first time we had come back all eyes were on Winnipeg and the buzz in the city was really high. It was a really cool weekend to be a part of.”

Now, 15 years into the NHL’s return, comes the chance to spotlight mostly 2.0-era players who are gone but not forgotten.

“Time flies, for sure. In the blink of an eye, you go from kind of coming back into town to now coming back for different reasons,” said Wheeler.

“It’s just a great opportunity, because now we kind of have a real established alumni. We’re all kind of getting a little grey in our beards. This is a just a great chance to really establish a culture of guys coming back. What it’s meant to be a Jet and what it means to be a Jet.

“And some guys weren’t able to maybe have those (goodbye) moments and maybe experience what they meant to the community. So it will be really special for them to come back and share that moment with everyone.”

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