On Monday, the Winnipeg Jets have announced they have signed defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to a five-year, $38 million contract extension. Byfuglien’s cap hit the next five years will be $7.6 million.
$7.6M x 5 for Byfuglien with WPG.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 8, 2016
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger was the first to report a deal was close to happening. According to Dregar, contract talks between Byfuglien and the Jets picked up this past weekend.
Byfuglien extension imminent. Negotiations heated up this weekend. Expect announcement shortly.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 8, 2016
Byfuglien is in the last year of a five-year, $26 million contract. There was wide speculation that he would be moved before the trade deadline if a deal was not reached. The extension keeps Byfuglien under contract with the Jets through the 2020-21 season.
Byfuglien, 30, is a right-shot defenseman with a powerful slap shot and uses his superior size to deliver crushing hits to opposing players and create space for offensive opportunities. The 6’5”, 260 pound defenseman played in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Prince George Cougars before being selected in the eighth-round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. Byfuglien made his NHL debut with Chicago during the 2005-06 season and split time between the Blackhawks and the minor leagues before becoming a mainstay with the Blackhawks during the 2007-08 season. Byfuglien was instrumental in helping the Blackhawks win their first Stanley Cup in 50 years during the 2009-10 season before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in a cap-related move. Byfuglien spent one season playing in Atlanta before the franchise relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba and was renamed the Jets. He has been selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game four times since the 2010-11 season.
Byfuglien has notched 15 goals and 32 points in 52 games during the 2015-16 season, he is also 2nd in goals scored for the Jets this year. In 649 career NHL regular season games, Byfuglien has scored 148 goals and 228 assists for 376 points and has recorded 755 penalty minutes. In 43 career postseason games, he has scored 14 goals and 12 assists for 26 points and recorded 50 penalty minutes.
