Blue-line renaissance

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This article was published 05/01/2015 (3906 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Any discussion about Dustin Byfuglien over the past few years — especially during his days under the microscope as a Winnipeg Jet — has always touched on the same hot-button talking points.

The pluses about his game, like his howitzer shot, his vision and ability to intimidate with his molar-rattling hits, have been offset by the negatives. And those criticisms, which have often filled the pages in newspapers and hours upon hours on sports-talk radio have focused on his inconsistency, his fitness level and the mental lapses in his game.

Over the last month or so, Byfuglien — three months shy of his 30th birthday — has effectively changed that narrative. Yes, in authoring some of the best play in his 10-year career, it could be said his performance in Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs was the most impressive effort during his days in Jets colours, Byfuglien has gone from lightning rod, to lightning in a bottle.

Let’s take that one step further: during a stretch in which this team has been decimated by injury, Byfuglien has not only helped this bunch tread water, he has been its MVP.

“What you’re seeing now is his willingness to bring it every single shift, every single night,” said Jets forward Blake Wheeler on Sunday, a day in which Byfuglien’s work against the Leafs was still the buzz in the Jets dressing room. “Since he’s been put back on D there haven’t been any lapses in his game. He’s been huge for us. He’s been instrumental, especially since the injuries we’ve had.

“You can’t say enough good things about his compete level every night. That’s the biggest thing… the impact he can have on games when he’s competing and he’s bringing it every night.”

Now, this isn’t just hometown hyperbole. The crew from Hockey Night in Canada were effusive in their praise for the big man during Saturday’s telecast. And a day later the venerable Boston Globe suggested Byfuglien ‘will deserve Hart Trophy consideration if the Jets qualify for the post-season for the first time since arriving in Winnipeg.’

This from a guy who, just over a year ago, was moved to forward because he was -17 and struggling on the blue-line. Since then there have been some dramatic developments that made this move back to defence workable. Jets Coach Paul Maurice’s defensive system — and the team’s success with it — has been critical. By simplifying his game, Byfuglien has blurred the high-risk/high-reward component that had been the trademark of his work as a D-man.

“He’s picked his spots better,” began captain Andrew Ladd. “But I think the system that we’re playing, we want our D to be aggressive and as forwards we know our D is going to be aggressive and they’re filling and doing a good job getting back, allowing him to play that game, too. It’s a good fit in terms of what he likes to do, poaching on some passes and being aggressive. He thrives off that.”

There’s more to it than that, of course. Byfuglien did the team-first thing when asked to move up to forward, but it was with reluctance. It’s his comfort level in the system and his desire to play defence, that is fuelling this ‘new-look’ 33.

“To me that’s always about confidence,” said Maurice. “There’s a great amount of confidence that comes in playing a simple game, just relaxing and doing your job, doing one job and letting the game come to you a little bit. And then there’s those one or two times come where you get the opportunity to do something creative.

“A lot of this is a set of circumstances that presented itself. Dustin has always wanted to play defence and so when the opportunity came because we needed him to, we just said, ‘Listen, we know this is something you want to do. So, here’s an opportunity for you to do it, these are the things we are going to value.’

“You take all his offensive production at his time on defence, that would absolutely not keep him on defence.

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“It’s not enough for him to stay there. All the other parts of his game, and he’s getting better at it — the physical play, moving the puck quickly, being a good defender, killing penalties effectively — those are the things that will keep you on defence.”

Back to Wheeler… Asked what he sees in Byfuglien now, compared to last season, the big Jets winger grinned, then summed up the latest chapter in this discussion perfectly.:

“He wants to stay on defence, it looks like.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait

Byfuglien, by the numbers

source: winnipegjets.com