Big Buff’s improved defensive play catches coach’s eye

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This article was published 20/12/2018 (2452 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SAN JOSE — He is on pace for the most productive offensive season of his career, is a critical part of the NHL’s best power-play unit, leads his team in ice time and is providing perhaps his most defensively sound play on the blue line.

All of which would be impressive enough if Dustin Byfuglien was at the peak of his career. But he’s 33, an age when many athletes are experiencing a sharp decline in performance. And yet the only member of the Winnipeg Jets roster who owns a Stanley Cup ring seems as driven as ever to help take his team to the promised land.

“For the most part, I was just coming into this year with the right mindset, making sure everyone on our team has the right mindset on where we need to go, where we want to get to. I think for the most part it’s been pretty good. I think our team has played some pretty good hockey so far this year,” Byfuglien said Thursday in a rare interview prior to his team’s meeting with the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.

The assistant captain is a major on-ice leader and locker-room presence, but not a big fan of public speaking. But as held court for about six minutes following the morning skate and a showdown with two of the NHL’s other big blue-line stars in Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, Byfuglien conceded expectations within the locker room have changed coming off last season’s trip to the Western Conference final.

“As they should,” he said.

Byfuglien has been one of the driving forces behind that. He began the night with three goals and 23 assists in 28 regular-season games, which has him tied for eighth in scoring by NHL defenceman. He has missed six games with injuries this season, including a concussion. Byfuglien’s best points total is 56, set in the 2013-14 campaign with the Jets. He’s averaging 24:33 of time per game, which is 17th-highest in the NHL.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice said it’s Byfuglien’s defensive strides that have impressed him the most. Long gone is the high-risk, high-reward player who would give his coaches and fans fits as he roamed all over the ice. And he’s changed his game while still piling up big offensive production.

“We think that it’s part of the reason his numbers are really strong, that he’s done it the right way. And then the team around him,” said Maurice.

“The power-play numbers are going to change with your overall group. But there isn’t really a sacrifice. Very possibly, I don’t know how to quantify it, but let’s say five to 10 points you could get per year by possibly cheating (offensively). At the same time, the cost of that isn’t worth those five or six points. As our team has become a little bit more offensive, he’s going to get more action just by moving the puck to good players.”

The off-season departure of longtime defence partner Toby Enstrom created a big opening, one that has been filled by Ben Chiarot. Naturally, Byfuglien was asked what’s been working so well with the pair.

“I guess him just listening to me,” Byfuglien dead-panned.

“He keeps it pretty simple. He’s a guy I can read off pretty well. And he’s figured out how to read off me pretty well, too. That stuff doesn’t happen overnight, but we’ve done a pretty good job so far.”

Maurice said one of Byfuglien’s best assets doesn’t show up on any stat sheets — his ability to lead and mentor young or inexperienced NHL defenceman such as Chiarot.

“He’s had a big impact on Ben’s game and part of it is that Dustin has, going back to the start of last year, I don’t know if refined is the right word, but he’s become a lot more predictable as a player and that’s very important for your partner,” said Maurice.

“For the longest time, he played with Toby Enstrom and they moved the puck a certain way in their own end. Now it’s different, but possibly, equally effective. They move it really clean. He’s had a big impact. Also, when you’ve got a guy like that, the young defence has got a place to go with the puck every time. It’s safe to chip it over there (to Byfuglien). He breaks up an awful lot of plays and when he’s on his game and rolling, we spend a lot of time in their end.”

The mentoring happened plenty early in teammate Josh Morrissey’s career, and Byfuglien said he’s happy to see Morrissey take another big step this season on the top defence pairing with Jacob Trouba.

“I think it’s just another year under his belt, being comfortable where he is, knowing that he’s an NHLer. He’s getting more reps out there, just getting comfier and more confidence in himself,” said Byfuglien.

Much like the Sharks, the Jets have been trying to get their defencemen more involved in the offence while still making play in their own end a top priority. It’s all about making reads and risk management, said Byfuglien.

“We have been a little bit more active. It’s kind of the way we’re running and playing right now, our game plan,” he said.

The power play has been deadly this year, and lately it seems more lanes are opening up for Byfuglien as opponents tend to focus on scoring threats down low in Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine. That’s just fine with Byfuglien, who’s more than happy to let a shot rip from the point.

“Everyone’s watching video now and seeing which guys are scoring and where the puck’s going. I think for us, it’s just get the puck on our stick, move it quickly, try to move it around faster than they can skate,” Byfuglien said of the key to success.

Another sign of Byfuglien’s sound defensive play is Maurice’s reliance on him to kill penalties, something that wasn’t always the case. To hear Maurice explain it, this is no small point.

“So, to be a good penalty killer, the first thing you’ve got to do is read the game defensively. What’s coming at you? Early on, Dustin’s reads were always to go forward, to attack, which is good as long as it gets done. And then he’s really put kind of a patience into his defensive game at five-on-five and that may well come from the fact, is it chicken and the egg (theory)? I don’t know,” said Maurice.

“He started playing better defensively and we started using him killing penalties more. What’s true maybe of defenceman is definitely true of forwards. When a forward kills penalties, he has a different view of the game. We find that certainly bleeds into his five-on-five game. Kyle Connor has been a better five-on-five player since he’s become a penalty killer.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg