Jets sign Dustin Byfuglien to extension
The Winnipeg Jets are desperately trying to create a foothold in their relatively new home, and they took a step toward doing that by extending defenseman Dustin Byfuglien with a five-year deal, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. The contract is reportedly worth $38 million over its duration.
Winnipeg is sitting dead last in the Central Division, but Jets fans have to be thrilled with the extension of Byfuglien, a 30-year-old All-Star. It was widely assumed that Winnipeg would deal him at the Feb. 29 trade deadline, but it now appears that the newest Canadian team will try to build around him instead.
Byfuglien has experience and talent, something that can help this young team fulfill its dreams. Byfuglien was originally with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2005-10 where he was part of a Stanley Cup winner. However, Byfuglien was moved to the Atlanta Thrashers after that Cup run because of salary cap issues. In 2010-11 with Atlanta, Byfuglien scored a career-high 20 goals before the team relocated at the start of the 2011 campaign to Winnipeg.
For Byfuglien’s part, he said that staying with the Jets is something he wanted to do, per LeBrun.
“I’ve been here five years,” Byfuglien told reporters Monday. “Where we started and where we’re at now, I don’t feel as an organization and as a group that we’re far off. We’ve taken the right steps.
“My family and I find Winnipeg nice, and we’re very happy to stay here and sign this. … I’m excited that I’m a Jet.”
Winnipeg management is also happy to be holding onto the best player on the team, and a key piece moving forward, according to the piece.
“It’s an exciting time for our franchise,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told Winnipeg reporters. “It really underscores what’s happening within this room right now.”
Last year, the Jets were able to make the playoffs and got off to a very promising start this year, only to watch things come apart. It will be interesting to see how the team finishes out the season and if some momentum can be built for the 2016-17 year, where Winnipeg hopes to rebound and contend in the toughest division in the NHL.
Keeping Byfuglien not only helps the notion that a quick turnaround is possible, it also allows the Jets to sell the idea to other free agents this summer. Had Winnipeg moved Byfuglien and continued to tank throughout the spring, the Jets would be seen as a reclamation project and an unattractive one at that.
Good for Winnipeg not going into full tank mode. The Jets decided to keep their talent in house and now have a key player to build around. It is something that does not happen often enough.
