- Dustin Byfuglien
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Dustin Byfuglien 
Byfuglien while a member of the Atlanta ThrashersBorn March 27, 1985
Minneapolis, MN, USAHeight 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight 265 lb (120 kg; 18 st 13 lb) Position Defense/right wing Shoots Right NHL team
Former teamsWinnipeg Jets
Chicago Blackhawks
Atlanta ThrashersNHL Draft 245th overall, 2003
Chicago BlackhawksPlaying career 2005–present Dustin Ray Byfuglien (/baɪfuːɡliən/ by-foo-glee-ən, or locally pronounced /ˈbʌflɨn/ buf-lin[1] born March 27, 1985) is an American professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. His known nickname is "Big Buff," made up by his teammates. Drafted as a defenseman, he has played both forward and defense in his career.
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Personal life
Byfuglien was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Cheryl Byfuglien and father Ricky Spencer. His mother is of Norwegian descent, and his father is African American. Cheryl moved to Roseau, Minnesota, with Dustin to be closer to her family while Ricky stayed in Minneapolis to continue college; the two never wed. In Roseau, Byfuglien was exposed to the game of hockey where he found an instant love for the sport, which soon turned into a calling. Byfuglien's stepfather, Dale Smedsmo, played four games in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1972, and 110 games in the World Hockey Association.[1][2] Byfuglien has three half-siblings on his father's side.
Due to academic ineligibility in Roseau, Byfuglien first moved to Warrenville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, to play AAA under-18 hockey for the Chicago Mission then moved to Canada in hopes of not ruining any chance he could possibly have at playing hockey. In Canada, he played major junior hockey in the WHL. The Chicago Blackhawks drafted him in 2003.
Byfuglien is an avid fisherman, and competed in the 2011 Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship on Rainy Lake.
On August 31st, 2011, Byfuglien was arrested on Lake Minnetonka and booked on suspicion of boating while intoxicated.[3]
Playing career
Byfuglien while a member of the Chicago Blackhawks
Originally a defenseman at the start of the 2007–08 season, he was moved to a right wing position to give the team a larger body near the net, an experiment that proved successful. In the 2010-2011 All-Star Game's Skill Competition his slap shot was clocked at 102.5 mph.
The forward excelled in his third professional season, becoming the first Rockford IceHogs player to earn the American Hockey League's Player of the Week award, when he scored one goal and had five assists in four games. Byfuglien had seven points in eight games with Rockford. Byfuglien earned a recall on November 3 to the Chicago Blackhawks and never returned to the IceHogs. He had a goal in his first shift with the Blackhawks in the 2007–08 NHL season on November 3 against the St. Louis Blues and recorded his first career hat trick (three goals in one game) against the Phoenix Coyotes on November 30. He finished tied for fifth on the team with 19 goals and 36 points in his third season with the team, all while making a transition to forward throughout the campaign.
On June 24, 2010, Byfuglien was traded by Chicago, along with Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Akim Aliu to the Atlanta Thrashers for a 1st and 2nd round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb and Jeremy Morin.[4] The Thrashers moved Byfuglien back to his natural position of defense, although he had experience as a first-line and second-line winger with the Blackhawks, including the Blackhawks' run to the Stanley Cup in 2010. He became an alternate captain for the Thrashers after a few months into the 2010 season. Byfuglien was selected to his first All-Star Game, along with teammate Tobias Enström. On February 15, 2011, the Thrashers signed Byfuglien to a five-year, $26 million dollar contract extension.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2001–02 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2002–03 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 8 1 1 2 4 — — — — — 2002–03 Prince George Cougars WHL 48 9 28 37 74 5 1 3 4 12 2003–04 Prince George Cougars WHL 66 16 29 45 137 — — — — — 2004–05 Prince George Cougars WHL 64 22 36 58 184 — — — — — 2005–06 Norfolk Admirals AHL 53 8 15 23 75 4 1 2 3 4 2005–06 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 25 3 2 5 24 — — — — — 2006–07 Norfolk Admirals AHL 63 16 28 44 146 6 0 2 2 18 2006–07 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 9 1 2 3 10 — — — — — 2007–08 Rockford IceHogs AHL 8 2 5 7 25 — — — — — 2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 67 19 17 36 59 — — — — — 2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 77 15 16 31 81 17 3 6 9 26 2009–10 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 82 17 17 34 94 22 11 5 16 20 2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 81 20 33 53 93 — — — — — NHL totals 341 75 87 162 361 39 14 11 25 46 Awards and achievements
Award Year(s) Stanley Cup 2010 NHL All-Star 2011 See also
References
- ^ a b Ziemer, Brad (2010-05-06). "Dustin Byfuglien: Did you know …". Vancouver Sun (Vancouver). http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Dustin+Byfuglien+know/2995741/story.html. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ^ Rogers, Jesse (2010-05-07). "Byfuglien has found emotional side". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/news/story?id=5171730. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ^ http://www.startribune.com/local/128883138.html
- ^ "Hawks deal Byfuglien, Sopel to Thrashers". NHL. 2010-06-25. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=532495. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
External links
- Dustin Byfuglien's NHL player profile
- Dustin Byfuglien's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
- Hockey's Future prospect profile
- Dustin Byfuglien Minor Hockey Goal Mix Video
- A long road from Roseau to success
- Before Hawks star hit it big, he got his start in DuPage
- Hundreds greet Dustin Byfuglien, Stanley Cup
- Dustin Byfuglien Is Large And In Trouble
Categories:- 1985 births
- African American ice hockey players
- American ice hockey right wingers
- American people of Norwegian descent
- Atlanta Thrashers players
- Brandon Wheat Kings alumni
- Chicago Blackhawks players
- Ice hockey people from Minnesota
- Ice hockey players of Black African descent
- Living people
- Norfolk Admirals players
- Sportspeople from Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Prince George Cougars alumni
- Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players
- Stanley Cup champions
- Winnipeg Jets players
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