Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: Dustin+Byfuglien
Byfuglien Sets Up In Front Of The Net
by Paul on 10/20/09 at 05:05 PM ET
Comments (1)
from Tim Sassone of the Chicago Daily-Herald,
Byfuglien has picked up where he left off in the playoffs with 4 goals in the Hawks’ first eight games. Standing in front of the net is not Byfuglien’s favorite role, but it is helping make him a star.
“It’s my job now, and I guess I don’t really have a choice to do it or I don’t know where I’d be,” Byfuglien said. “It’s all right. It’s growing on me. It’s fun and you get to play with the good players and get better opportunities to be out there more.”
Having a strong presence in front of the net is a key in Quenneville’s system, and Byfuglien has quickly become one of the better players in the NHL at bothering goaltenders.
“He found a niche there and it has helped his game,” Quenneville said. “Over the course of (last) year he was just going through it where he was just an ordinary player, but getting to that level where all of a sudden he was a factor in games and dominating games and being annoying for other teams and being a major distraction in front of the net, he filled that role extremely well.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dustin+Byfuglien,
Byfuglien Getting Noticed
by Paul on 05/11/09 at 10:19 AM ET
Comments (1)
from Larry Wigge of NHL.com,
“He could play linebacker for the Bears,” teammate Colin Fraser said, and he was quite serious.
At somewhere upwards of 6-foot-3, 250 or 260 pounds, “Big Buff” always has had a big body, plus some big dreams. But a goal-scoring touch was lacking. Until May 9, that is, when he scored twice to lead the Blackhawks to a 4-2 victory in Vancouver in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
“The thing about ‘Buff’ is that he’s not just a big guy,” Hawks defenseman Brent Seabrook said. “He has a heavy shot, skates well and is blessed with good hands. He’s got the potential to be a dominating power forward. One of those X-factor-type players everyone dreams of having.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dustin+Byfuglien,
Vancouver Thinking About Byfuglien
by Paul on 05/04/09 at 08:54 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,
He casts a wide-bodied presence — a lunar eclipse on skates when he gets set up in front of the net — for a team that understands the best way to make Luongo look mortal is to block his view at every turn. And if a guy occasionally loses an edge and accidentally-on-purpose goes crashing into the goalie, well, that’s good for business — Blackhawks business, that is.
“I’m there, I’m there,” said Byfuglien, when asked if he’s in the heads of Vancouver players. “But it’s been good. It’s been fun. I’m just doing my job and playing the way I can.”
“He’s a big body,” ventured Bieksa, following Canucks practice yesterday at the United Center. “He’s played well for them, obviously. Last game, he played well. He gets in on the fore-check, he finishes his hit. He’s a big body in front of Louie.
“But it’s more about us worrying about ourselves right now than us worrying about them.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dustin+Byfuglien,
You Make The Call
by Paul on 04/11/09 at 07:13 PM ET
Comments (19)
Dustin Byfuglien was awarded a penalty shot on this play late in today’s Chicago/Detroit game.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dustin+Byfuglien,
Dustin Byfuglien Delivers A Shot To Luongo…
by Paul on 03/29/09 at 09:38 PM ET
Comments (17)
Then. the fights broke out.
Canucks went on to shutout the Blackhawks 4-0.
You can checkout the boxscore at TSN for all the penalties.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dustin+Byfuglien, Roberto+Luongo,
Creating a Power Forward
by Alanah McGinley on 02/07/08 at 02:15 AM ET
Comments (1)
From Tim Sassone in the Daily Herald,
“Power forwards are tough to find, and I think [Dustin Byfuglien] fits that position,” Savard said Wednesday. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am. I think I’ve got a pretty good eye on hockey players and really strongly feel he’s going to become a good power forward in this league.
“We’re still tweaking with him. We know he can play defense, but I believe he’s going to be a strong power forward in this league. He’s had some good games on defense, too. I’m not saying we’ll never use him there again, but for now he fits up front, and we’ll evaluate everything as we go on.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chicago+blackhawks, Dustin+Byfuglien,
America’s Next Wave
by Steve on 12/10/07 at 12:35 PM ET
Comments (10)
One of many complaints that casual sports fans have about hockey is that there are too many “foreigners” in our league. Which, by the way, is utter bunk because they support the NBA’s European and Asian outreach, and the Major Leagues are now making Hispanic players the norm.
But, they do have a point. The NFL, a league with 99.9999999% Americans in it, is the man in the United States right now. The NHL needs some new and talented red, white and blue blood.
Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: dustin+byfuglien, erik+johnson, patrick+kane, phil+kessel, usa+hockey, zach+parise,
Buff-Daddy With The Natural Hat Trick
by Paul on 12/01/07 at 08:37 AM ET
Comments (1)
from the Chicago Daily Herald,
Byfuglien tied two team records with his hat trick in the Hawks’ 6-1 rout of the Phoenix Coyotes at the United Center.
“He doesn’t know how good he can be,” Tallon said.
Byfuglien became only the third Hawks defenseman in club history to score 3 goals in a game, joining Dick Redmond (1977) and Doug Wilson (1991). His 2 power-play goals tied another record for defensemen, last done by Dave Manson in 1988.
“I guess that’s an honor to be proud of,” said Byfuglien, who also had an assist. “It feels good.”
Watch his 3rd goal of the game…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chicago+blackhawks, Dustin+Byfuglien, hat+trick,
Chicago Calls Up Dustin Byfuglien
by Paul on 11/03/07 at 04:35 PM ET
Comments (0)
Not something I would usually note here on KK, but what a story…
from HamptonRoads.com,
Raised by a single mother battling unpaid bills and factory work, Byfuglien (pronounced BUFF-lin) all but grew up in Memorial Arena. If the ice wasn’t available or he couldn’t talk his way into the play, he’d sit in the stands for hours, watching alone....
“I think he knew hockey was his salvation,’’ said Dale Smedsmo, a former Roseau High standout and pro player who has dated Byfuglien’s mother for three years. “School wasn’t easy for him, and he knew he had to make it in hockey. When he signed that contract, it was a personal victory because he’s worked very hard.’’
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chicago+blackhawks, Dustin+Byfuglien,
Most Recent Blog Posts
Leafs Can Improve During Free Agency Period
Early Options For NHL Teams Traveling To Europe Next season
Niklas Kronwall Out After Knee On Knee Hit By Laraque
Brian Mullen’s Heart Still With The Rangers
Dealing With A Make-Shift Lineup
Sutter Trying To Find The Fire In The Flames
Cory Stillman Out With Knee Injury
