Vegas Golden Knights: Thrashing out the merits of pursuing Byfuglien

Dustin Byfuglien is officially a free agent and he could be an intriguing wildcard option for the Vegas Golden Knights to pursue in the off-season.

It was announced earlier this month that the Winnipeg Jets and Byfuglien had mutually agreed to terminate his contract, leaving the door open for contending teams like the Vegas Golden Knights to line up for one of the most polarizing defensemen to have ever played the game.

Having not played for a year, speculation had raged about Byfuglien’s future for a while and the eventual outcome between the player and the Jets shouldn’t have come as a surprise due to all the reports circulating about strained relationships between the two parties.

Stemming back to the off-season, the relationship between Byfuglien and Winnipeg had been strained to say the very least, if not fractured with the cracks appearing larger by the day.

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The bruising powerhouse was granted a requested leave of absence for personal reasons on the eve of Training Camp, but that’s when things began to get murky.

Byfuglien underwent ankle surgery in late October and then filed a grievance through the NHLPA in order to be paid while recovering from a hockey-related injury, despite the fact that the Jets had no knowledge of any health issues over the summer.

It all made for a messy situation and it eventually boiled over earlier this month when Byfuglien opted to walk away from $7.6 million both this year and next, officially making him an unrestricted free agent.

Now, it is no certainty that Byfuglien, ever private and elusive, even wants to pull on a pair of skates again, with former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Kris Versteeg admitting that he would be “shocked if he ever played again.”

But, what is certain is the fact that a large majority of the 31 NHL teams would be queuing up for Byfuglien’s signature if the giant blueliner did decide to give it one more go.

And, craving a real horse on the blueline, the Vegas Golden Knights may well be one of those franchises.

However, with a bevy of different issues at play, we decided to run through the pros and cons of the Golden Knights making a run at Dustin Byfuglien in free agency…

Pros To Signing Byfuglien

Dustin Byfuglien is an absolute freak of nature.

One of the most naturally gifted defensemen to ever play this great game, the guy is an absolute human highlight-reel.

Boasting superhuman size and strength, a high hockey IQ, a dazzling array of skill and an absolute bomb of a shot, Byfuglien has all the tools in his locker and he’s got the impressive resume to match.

Splitting his career to date so far between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets, not forgetting a brief spell as an Atlanta Thrasher before they relocated to Winnipeg, Byfuglien was a regular in the postseason.

He was a key cog in the Blackhawks team that won the Stanley Cup in 2009-10, contributing 16 points (11 goals, five assists) in 22 postseason outings, while he led the Jets to various postseason appearances.

In total, Byfuglien has recorded 525 points (177 goals, 348 assists) in 869 NHL career games, in addition to 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points in 66 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

That kind of track record speaks for itself.

Then there is the superhero-like physical attributes to consider.

Shaped more like an NFL Linebacker, Byfuglien is an absolute monster and he plays like one too, making full use of his hulking 6’5″, 260 lb frame.

Able to take opponents out with bone-jarring hits, Byfuglien’s sheer power can be overwhelming and it is no surprise that he can ragdoll guys around the ice with ease.

Just as intimidating as his superhuman strength is his hammer of a shot, which is built upon a quick and deadly release.

Able to rip home a one-timer or slap a bomb of a shot from the point, Byfuglien is a proven potent weapon and he’s good for at least 30-40 points a year, even at this stage of his career.

Not just a one-trick pony, either, Byfuglien can also move for a big man and he’s not just all brawn, combining an incredible hockey IQ with a boatload of skill that makes him a rare talent.

Plus, when you consider the wealth of experience he would bring to the table for any team, it is not hard to work out why he would be an attractive option for most teams in the NHL, including the Golden Knights.

Able to eat minutes for fun, he averaged 24:22 minutes of ice time per game in 2018-19, Byfuglien would be the absolute horse on the blueline that the Knights crave.

He would slot into their top four immediately, thus automatically adding more depth to a solid blueline that only has one bonafide star in Shea Theodore.

An elite quarterback on the power play too, coupled with a wealth of postseason experience, Byfuglien would tick a lot of boxes for the Golden Knights and could even push them over the top for a championship.

And, last but not least, Byfuglien can also play as a forward if needed making him a valuable asset in overtime or if the Knights are trying to make it a tied game late with an extra skater out on the ice.

However, there are more than a few question marks to consider…

Cons To Signing Byfuglien

As an elite player as Dustin Byfuglien is, and he belongs in the conversation for top 50 defensemen of all time in my opinion, the veteran is also an incredibly complex character.

The recent debacle with the Winnipeg Jets, a franchise he called home for eight years, proved that and the biggest question mark hovering over Byfuglien currently is if he even wants to play hockey again.

Those closest to him don’t seem to have an answer to that million-dollar question, and it is one that will obviously need to be answered sooner rather than later.

If Byfuglien does wish to return to a sport he has dominated, then you would assume that the passion and the desire to win and succeed is there, although you can never be too sure when it comes to “Big Buff.”

Another major concern is the defenseman’s health given his recent recovery from ankle surgery, while his body has taken a lot of punishment due to the punishing and bone-crushing hits he has delivered throughout his career.

He also hasn’t played hockey for a year and how fast he can get back into shape will also be the big question on the lips of many an NHL General Manager.

And, at 35-years-old, there is bound to be a lot of wear and tear on the defenseman’s body, making it a genuine question as to how much Byfuglien has left in the tank.

That leads us onto the final caveat at play.

Money.

Carrying a whopping cap hit of $7,600,000 prior to parting ways with the Winnipeg Jets, Byfuglien was certainly paid well.

If he does return to hockey, that will likely change, especially if he is tempted to finish his career in Vegas with the Golden Knights.

With the entire NHL landscape set to be impacted massively in the wake of COVID-19, the salary cap will likely be frozen at $81.5 million for the 2020-21 season.

As a result, very few teams will want or be able to throw huge bags of money in Byfuglien’s direction, and that includes the Golden Knights who are projected to have less than $9 million in cap space with seven free agents to try and re-sign if the cap remains where it is.

So, unless Byfuglien would be willing to settle for a very team-friendly deal in exchange for one more kick at the can when it comes to adding another Stanley Cup to his resume, then Vegas could be in luck.

After all, you can make a strong argument that Byfuglien should have more than one ring under his belt given his superior talent, but it remains to be seen what his motives are and whether winning another championship is worth leaving money on the table.