Whatever Happened To Dustin Byfuglien?

After last suiting up from the league during the 2019 playoffs and after terminating his contract with the Jets roughly a year later, this former 8th round pick seemingly fell off the hockey map. So that begs the question: whatever happened to Dustin Byfuglien? Well let's take a look at his entire NHL career, his various accolades and his departure from the league to try find out!
#dustinbyfuglien #whateverhappenedto #winnipegjets #nhl #nationalhockeyleague #oddmanrush #sports #hockey #history #icehockey #chicagoblackhawks #atlantathrashers
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[@OddManRush]

So it turns out Byfuglien is from Minnesota, not Canada... Thank you all for your corrections 😂

[@bryan3409]

durrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[@WarReport.]

I believe his mom is Canadian and dad an American if my memory is correct but that needs a check

[@SilentButDudley]

I mean Minnesota is the most Canadian state in the US. Seems to make sense

[@RustySportsNetwork]

Can you please do one of these on Adam Pardy

[@michaelingwald6338]

He’s from Roseau MN. Lives down in the cities. And Silent But Dudley you shut your dirty mouth lol

[@bigyt813]

I respect this man... doesnt need all the money in the world to be happy. He left on a high note where everyone wanted him to come back, but he just wanted to be happy and healthy.

[@BM_2002]

As a Jets fan I miss this guy everyday

[@rileykazama3145]

You and me both

[@ethanparker7900]

i hope they retire his number in the near future

[@trey1218]

As a Thrashers fan, fuck Winnipeg

[@stephenphillips6245]

The team has never, fully, recovered from his absence.

[@ethanparker7900]

@@stephenphillips6245 well the offense sure but the defense yah not even close. They definitely could've used him in the covid bubble in august 2020 at the least i'd say

[@nastythomashobbs]

His physical play was as important as his points. He singlehandedly defeated my Canucks with bone breaking hits in the playoffs as a member of the hawks.

[@brianjones7660]

one of the few guys who used his size and strength on purpose. He could have had his own personal graveyard if he had wanted to.... 😉

[@lf2417]

He inspired me when I was playing organized hockey growing up. I was a big kid but I had some athleticism too. I would get big hits on the forecheck and I was also consistently on the score sheet. Players like Dustin showed me that you can be a physical presence on the ice and also help your team win at the same time.

[@brianmouland209]

Scored a hat trick vs Canucks

[@jackwhite6030]

he won the 2010 Cup with that bone crusher against Pronger.....epic!

[@nathancrafts]

@@jackwhite6030 He was definitely one of few players to ever put Pronger on his buns lol. Nobody else comes to mind off of the top of my head haha but I would guess at least a few other players did over the course of his career. I liked Pronger overall because I enjoy physical hockey (he definitely did lots of dirty stuff I don't defend that shit), but it was nice to see him get a taste of his own medicine! I watched Don Cherry's Rock Em Sock Em 22 the other day and saw that highlight for the first time in years, "Big Buff" was an absolute unit for Chicago that whole playoff run! Obviously his physicality was a huge factor in how he impacted the game, but I think a lot of people forget how skilled he was as well. He had 11 goals on that cup run!!

[@banzaiib]

dude dipped out with his money while the gettin' was good and is living the good life. I hope he's happy and healthy.

[@pixel3483]

He was banging team mates wife …

[@captnkirk6180]

He left a lot on the table though..too bad, but in some ways its probaby better for the rest of the players, it was almost unfair how he could just demolish guys at will.

[@RakastaaKissa]

@@captnkirk6180 more money isn’t worth the hassle a lot of times. If you’re over it, there’s no point dragging it out.

[@MuckFessier]

He’s living his best life fishing now. Thankful he’s doing well.

[@jekcu3693]

Man. He was my favorite player of all time. I don’t think you’ll find a single jets fan who will say they don’t miss him

[@bradzimmer239]

Hey....still missed by all jets fans. He was a phenomenal player, and we were thankful for having him play in Winnipeg.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

You can thank Dale Tallon that you got him in the first place.

[@chumleye1112]

The day he left the Jets without forewarning was the day their downward spiral started and is still going. He was a unicorn, a special one of a kind hockey player with a one of a kind smile. He is the only guy I have ever seen rag doll two players at once with one in each hand. He was a game changer and is sorely missed. I do believe he is enjoying his life with his family and fishing.

[@kenkunz1428]

Thirteen years gone from Chicago and Blackhawks fans still missing him.

[@blerp6675]

He retired to fish and snowmobile, because he's the fucking king.

[@falconeaterf15]

If I ever see this guy again in Winnipeg, I shall buy him many beers.

[@syd_luna]

When the NHL returned to Winnipeg, the first ever Jets 2.0 jersey I bought was his number 33. We all miss him so much. I just hope that one day, if he ever feels up to it, we can give him a proper send off by honouring his number in the Jets Hall of Fame. For now, he's enjoying life with his family, fishing somewhere out in the wilderness, competing in fishing competitions, and last I heard, playing some low key beer league type hockey.

[@xrsroofingsolutionscanada2151]

Ya I don't think I'd want to play in his beer league.

[@Good100]

​@@xrsroofingsolutionscanada2151lemme just get rid of this puck here if he sees me with it... Hit somebody else

[@dGoji1954]

I live in Winnipeg I can confirm almost all jets fans loved him 😂

[@manitobamoose7919]

Dude should have his # retired in wpg

[@dd5921]

He was an unprecedented physical presence on the ice, he didn’t hit players, he destroyed them. They exploded when he hit them. Nobody has ever or will ever hit like he did, simply because nobody has that body mass. Jets and their fans miss him terribly

[@ronlangill8689]

Yep, John Scott talked about taking a run at Byfuglien, and the guy didn't move, just laughed at Scott.

[@rodrigoandrade920]

I met him in Finland back in 2018. Great guy and was a great player.

[@isaiaharmbruster8446]

I respect that Byfuglien knew when it was the right time to retire. So many athletes refuse to end their careers because the sport they play is their entire identity and it hurts their legacy in the process.

[@91Redmist]

For me, Mark Messier is the poster child for great players playing themselves into oblivion, before waking up and calling it quits. He was a joke of his former self when he retired

[@seveglider8406]

Dustin Byfuglien belongs in the Hall of Fame!

[@stonebone316]

You know I always did wonder what happened to this guy. Very glad you did a piece on him. I'm a diehard sabres fan but I always liked watching Dustin play. I hope he's enjoying life.

[@leh3827]

You gotta be die hard to be a Sabres fan.

[@stonebone316]

@LE H I am. We're turning a corner tho for sure. They're my hometown guys. Gotta support them.

[@leh3827]

@@stonebone316 Excellent! The Flames are my hometown team, same thing. We used to pull for the Sabres, still will. It's time for a cup for Buffalo.

[@shemeansdolby4924]

I was just thinking about him the other day, and this pops up Thank you for the story. One of the coolest photos I've ever seen of a hockey player was him on the plane with his sunglasses on and a beer with Lord Stanley sitting next to him in the window seat. Epic Photo! Miss you Buff!

[@lawrencejohanson5178]

Saw him play a game in Prince George .He was a beast on the ice in junior.

[@bjornengqvist9629]

Weird, just finished watching his highlights. Fantastic player.

[@BSDShoes]

Dusty was one of those guys you wanted to have on your team, tough, resilient, calculated and has brains.

[@rhyta5042]

Thanks for this story, always wondered where he went. Just seems like he fell off the map. Loved his play for Chicago, Buffy the Luongo slayer 😏

[@2slovak0]

He was a threat. As soon as I saw him wearing the Hawks sweater, I knew he would be special. Size, skill, the old school mentality. He would just man handled people. The hits. The clean hard hits.

[@bdcmatt9041]

Big buff was a force to reckoned with on the ice. Miss watching him play.

[@louissimard3962]

He's not Canadian, he's from Minnesota

[@OddManRush]

Damn, he is isn't he? My bad...

[@TheOrangeCat2]

@@OddManRush I mean, I know the accent's similar lol. People do get confused.

[@craighawkins192]

Yup, I picked up on that right away. Seems kinda important somehow.

[@jonah.donohue]

He said that

[@dashcroft1892]

@@OddManRush… he grew up in Roseau - about 15 minutes south of the border with Manitoba.

[@mathias2410]

Most physically gifted player ever. Him and Chara. Both had to hold back not to injure opponents.

[@deadmanriding1118]

Well done odd man🍻 subbed👍

[@georgedavidson1221]

In my opinion as an adult hockey player he was one of the best. Talented but physical

[@sand_is_greaney]

Funny timing I was just looking at his stats yesterday. Dude really could have been a hall of gamer if he felt like it the nights he showed up he was one of the best players in the league

[@wyssmaster]

"If he played every game like his best games he would have been in the Hall of Fame" That's basically every player

[@kevinmcleod7580]

I miss his presence in the Nhl ! He was exciting to watch and I enjoyed his play big hits ! Let's be honest he really made it a nite to remember when he was playing ! Where ever you are Dustin I will always be a fan of yours !you were awesome to watch ! Best of everything in your future endeavors .!

[@meatmanmagoo]

Its sad but I am happy he left on his own terms instead of the usual story of being phased out, it would be even more sad if he kept playing but lost the passion for the sport.

[@milolabrett6549]

Dustin Byfuglien isn’t Canadian he was born in Minneapolis Minnesota and was the first black American born player to win the Stanley cup. For a 6 ft 5 inch player that hovered around the 300 lb mark, he was very fast and played the offensive defensemen role impeccably. He could take two players out at a time and was amazingly fast considering his size, his dual take-outs made those boards shake rattle big time. He was a definite leader in the dressing room that included an Evander Kane incident that resulted in Kane being shipped out of Winnipeg. Three years in WHL and fourteen years collectively in AHL / NHL is a hell of great career considering his type of play, which was full out all the time. Pain took Dustin Byfuglien out of the game and as always-great pick OMR for what ever happened player profile. Cheers!!!

[@TheHaughtyOsprey]

What does it mean to be a leader in the dressing room?

[@milolabrett6549]

@@TheHaughtyOsprey Dustin Byfuglien was an assistant captain for Winnipeg Jets, what goes on ice and in the dressing room is called team dynamics. That’s a silly question, the dressing room is where all things begin and end, before even a season begins in any sport, but very crucial as things go forward in every sport.

[@xHotshy]

feel like you glossed over the fact of how absolute dominate he was for the 2010 hawks. Dude was absolutely massive in that run

[@jlo2o199]

I was no hockey expert in 2009-2010 but when he came onto the scene with Chicago he stood out like a sore thumb. that guy quickly became one of my favs Had Pronger on the flyers that year and byfuglien on the Blackhawks.. come on.. name 2 better big men defensemen

[@tchevrier]

he's the only player I've seen take on Pronger and win.

[@daveczarnik6017]

@@tchevrier he didn’t win that battle though?

[@milolabrett6549]

You must've done well in your pool collectively 89 points 09-10 season. Both in their own right Chis Pronger and Dustin Byfuglien as Big Men in the NHL, there is toll to pay. That's the CTE factor, Chris Pronger is a full generation be it two or three seasons over lapping on Dustin Byfuglien's career. It's the big guy thing, wears them down.

[@RakastaaKissa]

I can’t name two, but Zdeno Chara should also be on that list

[@tchevrier]

@@daveczarnik6017 Oh sure he did.

[@Blackhawks19_xx]

Dude was a mountain on skates. I miss him.

[@MikePurdue-ky9pm]

I miss that guy on the Jets.

[@ffej4895]

I have always wondered what happened to him. Thanks

[@kolasillers7776]

What happened, what happened? Gone fishing.😂😂

[@lyallarblaster3416]

Big love for Big Byf

[@geneperry3411]

One of my favorites! He was a machine! Physical play plus scoring! Got out before the game totally broke him down! Im sure he still had plenty of money to lead a happy life. Thanks Big Byf!

[@SushiParty]

I hated him during his stint with the Hawks and was one of the reasons why the Canucks lost to the Hawks. Dude was a monster on the ice and the Canucks were too much of a pushover to handle his physicality.

[@tomryan943]

Great defensive player, and thanks for the info. I was wondering what happened to him, since I always pronounced his name wrong! My son corrected me on that, but I did wonder what happened to him. Now I know!!

[@DavidMScott-cs8pp]

Dustin's surname was officially pronounced : By fuge alin. It bothered him that announcers came up Bufflin

[@HammerJammer81]

Im a Leafs Fan but have multiple Shelves of Byfuglian autographed gear from pucks to Jerseys to cards. Steve Yzerman and Mats Sundin are my two Favorite players of all time, Byfuglian is #3. Never forget him rag dolling players during the playoffs, one opponent in each arm like puppets!

[@toasttoasted3492]

My favorite player Such a humble guy Miss him Got his Jet Jersey

[@JDs_RandomHandle]

I lived in Norfolk for a while and enjoyed when the Admirals were the AHL team for the Hawks. It went down hill after they won the Calder in 2012

[@waylongladue8911]

Man I always remember him hitting mark stone ,I'm surprised stone got up.

[@odeszaa]

miss this guy so much. he was the only jet that i liked. playing so incredibly physical for so long definitely takes a toll on your body. im sure he could have easily played the final two season of this contract but i guess he decided to take care of his body and spend time with his family. he seems happy, hope hes doing well!

[@insertgenericusernamehere2402]

Big buff vs Reaves was the one thing I really wish I could have seen.

[@toddrhode6]

My favorite player by far. He's probably fishing in northern Minnesota somewhere!!

[@staceyserene2436]

My favorite defenseman of all time.

[@geographyinaction7814]

'Big Buff'! He was loved in PG.

[@cookiimunsta]

Two things I picked up from this; Chicago management did him dirty after winning the cup, and I had completely forgotten that the thrashers were still a team in 2010! Feels like they were gone mid to early 00's, I must be coming down with some of that oldtimers memory loss....

[@brianathern9154]

Still miss Big Buff and lament Stan Bowman and his dismantling moves. What a versatile and strong leader with under appreciated skills. Glad Buff flourished in Winnipeg you deserved each other. Clutch

[@johnnunes2993]

I been wanting my team to trade for this guy for years. Solid player who can do it all.

[@ricksteves1973]

i think he's a big contry boy at heart, like price. those guys tend to get disenchanted with the hype and show biz of the nhl

[@schmingusss]

Probably got tired of the carny atmosphere of sports. You really feel it going to a live game. It's so cringe and lame.

[@Kbtoy789]

@@schmingusss Right? Imagine having to do that 82 times a year, and more if you make the playoffs. Ugh...

[@schmingusss]

@@Kbtoy789 I long for the days of the guy on the organ playing Hava Nagila. Now it's just loud crap music blasting between whistles and constant reminders to "get loud". I Imagine this is what it must have been like going to a freak show circus back at the turn of the 19th century.

[@ricksteves1973]

@@schmingusss yeah. the show biz aspect of pro sports has to be exhausting

[@fubartotale3389]

The player departure that made Hawks fams despise the salary cap the most.

[@shawnbruce6934]

I Love This Guy.

[@KamikazeDreamer]

Buff hasn't been gone long enough for anyone to wonder what ever happened to him

[@daltonthomas6135]

He seems like a guy who elevates his game in the playoffs. Sucks it went the way it did

[@shawnthompson2303]

Basically F this, I'm going fishing.

[@seun9957]

😁You should do whatever happen to Mike Richards?

[@johnmagri6409]

It would be a sad story

[@romanosperfect300]

As part of NHL replay, can you replay the 2007-2008 NHL season?

[@petermontagnon4440]

Wish he was playing for the Jets!!!!

[@unacceptablecodyberg1402]

Legend.

[@samuelkim9794]

last 2 years before he dipped, screwed winnipeg in terms of cap. may be he foresaw the team underperforming or quit due with injury. that was such an odd saga and drama. nothing against him, but really odd in terms of star player just dipping.

[@seinsmeld13]

I forgot all about him. From watching your video he is needed by the Leafs....................................🥶

[@LinuxAndThings]

The jets honestly went downhill after his departure 😢 Coulda used his skills in this series against vegas

[@whatsthatguydoing]

I want to know whatever happened to Brandon Convery. I found a rookie card of his in my stash and checked his stats. He seemed pretty alright, but didn't play much for being the 8th pick.

[@LucaVespa99]

I thought the title was what happened to Dustin Byfuglien? It’s a documentary about his playing career.

[@tchevrier]

The most fascinating thing about this gentle giant, was that he always came to training camp out of shape and overweight and yet was still the best player on the ice

[@bubs1195]

He was not gentle

[@tchevrier]

@@bubs1195 He most certainly was. He always held back on his body checks for fear of seriously injuring someone.

[@MystiqWisdom]

Sounds like Scott Stevens with a conscience.

[@briancharters8720]

Watching him grab an opposing player in each hand and skate into the boards with them to take out three guy was… well, EPIC … or watching Kadri try to hit him and bounce off Buff and hurting himself was, well, EPIC watching Buff single handedly ( well.. almost!) win the Stanley Cup for Chicago. Bad move by Chicago😢. Wish the man a happy life … unforgettable NHL player

[@ph6794]

I like your hockey coverage like I’d like my news…delivered with that accent

[@Good100]

It's so weird to hear this accent talking about hockey instead of soccer, lol.

[@cheesemouse7774]

I always wished he would have worn the winged wheel. He was a very good, gritty player. You never questioned his heart. Never. He wore it on his sleeve.

[@videogamevalley7523]

what ever hes doing, as long as hes happy and in good health, all is well.

[@williammoss9065]

nice career have to admire that he left on his terms

[@mattskionet]

He used to grab two opposing players and just hold them by the collar when a scrum broke out. No one else like him.

[@molatable]

I miss this guy everyday

[@TheChillee]

Dustin is American (not Canadian), born and raised in Minnesota. He lives near Roseau today.

[@brewsive]

Buf is my favorite d-man of this generation by far

[@rockywiseman111]

He was awesome

[@Garibaldi1]

Its too bad his career ended that way. Great guy and player

[@nastalgicsportsfan1100]

Learned nothing from this & it whitewashes how Byfuglien disrespected & cost the Jets the ability to get another top defence men right after Byfuglien IGNORED the Jets & didn't show up for training camp. The Jet's organization bent backwards for this guy & yet Byfuglien got injured from an activity not related to hockey & didn't report that either to the Jets. The Jets were on the hook for this over $7million dollars a season because Byfuglien didn't come clean & let the Jets know of his intentions. By remaining a UFA the Jets couldn't pick up a desperately needed quality defense men the following year. He basically gave the Jet's both his third fingers while the Jets showed him respect. He lost great respect from people in Winnipeg & the organization & from others in the league.

[@lumpyrex007]

Exactly. There was so much bull crap at the end. I wanna know why. That drama really messed the energy around the team.

[@QuickManEXE]

I knew him and his wife from his time in Prince George. He also played a good chunk of the 2002-03 season with PG and Brandon.

[@daveczarnik6017]

Some advice - You should add some clips and videos of certain things are speaking about during the videos

[@martyjames9368]

He was a beast!

[@myles3579]

It always bothered me when players don't finish there contracts, like they're bailing on the team, fans, etc.

[@HammerJammer81]

Big Buff gets a pass. He had injuries mis managed and wanted to keep his health.

[@zakwillhoite7551]

Can you imagine going to play in a beer league game just to have to play this monster 😂

[@brycenpenner949]

Jets still hurting without him. Dont know if that hole will ever be filled

[@wolfcore987]

I remember when he was a little punk nose kid at the Roseau rink. When he won the Stanley cup though.. I was happy for him. Wonder if Byfuglein trucking still exists…..

[@YOSHI450R]

It does, just seen they're looking for drivers a few days ago

[@konobuzoggu239]

damn, never realized he was a 8th round pick

[@xenialafleur]

Sounds to me like he feels he has enough money and doesn't want to risk not being able to walk.

[@davidd5407]

Helluva power forward. A decent dman. Glad he is happy now.

[@rip2025]

Good player

[@cedricdavis513]

Amazing career tbh. Good for him

[@ag6424]

Gone fishin'.

[@faunbudweis]

I loved how he kept ragdolling Pronger in the 2010 SCF. Pronger had been bullying all teams in the East until Buff took him on.

[@johncrumb8529]

That. Was. Epic! Pronger's a dick anyway.

[@pls2028]

I hate click-bait…you didn’t answer the question of what happened to Dustin Byfuglien. Just took minutes out of my life I will never get back…🤬

[@Mr99RICH99]

There is no loyalty ....no matter what corporation you work for , your just a number