Big Buff - Jolly giant or Killer on skates?

[WinnipegWinter*]

I'm curious to get everyones take on this to see where they stand with Byfuglien's physical play and presence. There's no denying that when he WANTS to be physical he is an absolute force. But this certainly doesn't seem to be his nature. I've heard a lot of people say that the reason Buff doesn't fight more is because other players don't want any part of it, but I don't buy that and feel its because Buff doesn't like engaging other team tough guys (not just enforcers where the 5 min penalty trade off doesnt make sense, but guys like Lucic, Chara etc). You almost NEVER see Buff initiate dropping gloves with bigger players, which would give our team a much needed mental edge, more so than simply 'don't poke the sleeping bear'.

He is very much known for picking on smaller players, so my question is - who is currently the most intimidating Dman in the league, factoring hits, fighting and overall nasty play. Where would you rank Byfuglien?

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[sully1410]

I'm curious to get everyones take on this to see where they stand with Byfuglien's physical play and presence. There's no denying that when he WANTS to be physical he is an absolute force. But this certainly doesn't seem to be his nature. I've heard a lot of people say that the reason Buff doesn't fight more is because other players don't want any part of it, but I don't buy that and feel its because Buff doesn't like engaging other team tough guys (not just enforcers where the 5 min penalty trade off doesnt make sense, but guys like Lucic, Chara etc). You almost NEVER see Buff initiate dropping gloves with bigger players, which would give our team a much needed mental edge, more so than simply 'don't poke the sleeping bear'.

He is very much known for picking on smaller players, so my question is - who is currently the most intimidating Dman in the league, factoring hits, fighting and overall nasty play. Where would you rank Byfuglien?

It's Buff. He pretty well hits everyone.

 

[GJF]

He is well known for picking smaller guys? Wut? I never ever heard anything like that on this board. And there is pretty much every stupid statement ever about any NHL player flying around HFboards.com.

I think you're very wrong and I have no idea where you're coming from with your opinion sorry

 

[WinnipegWinter*]

He is well known for picking smaller guys? Wut? I never ever heard anything like that on this board. And there is pretty much every stupid statement ever about any NHL player flying around HFboards.com.

I think you're very wrong and I have no idea where you're coming from with your opinion sorry

Calvert? Yakupov? Eberle? Hes gone out of his way to engage these types of guys in the past, and when enforcers come looking for Buff he never responds

 

[WinnipegWinter*]

It's Buff. He pretty well hits everyone.

A lot lf the guys in the league will hit anyone

 

[Uncle Bill]

He is very much known for picking on smaller players

Nonsense. It would appear someone hasn't been paying attention. At all.

 

[Jeti]

He is very much known for picking on smaller players

What? Look up any youtube compilation of Byfuglien's hits and he's almost exclusively leveling big (or bigger than average) players: Pronger, Lucic, Kovalchuk, Berglund, Beauchemin, Spezza, Gazdic, Kopitar, Doughty, Barrie, Bouwmeester, etc. Other than the inexplicable Zuccarello incident, he almost never targets small guys. I think he lets up a lot against smaller guys to avoid killing them and because he always gets penalized for being too big.

He doesn't go after enforcers because they're not good hockey players, aren't worth the trade-off and rarely have the puck or are matched against the Jets top pairing. But considering two of his highlight hits if you search "Byfuglien hits" on youtube are against Pronger and Lucic, two of the toughest players in this era, your claim is pretty easily debunked.

edit: Barrie is average sized, but the rest are big

 

[WinnipegWinter*]

Nonsense. It would appear someone hasn't been paying attention. At all.

That's not the case at all. I've watched almlst every Jets game, followed Buff through his career and probably have more of a hockey background than a lot of people on here. I'm just stating my observation. You can honestly say that Buff is just as likely to ride a player like Lucic throughout an entire game than your typical Yakupov? That would be nonsense

 

[WinnipegWinter*]

What? Look up any youtube compilation of Byfuglien's hits and he's almost exclusively leveling big (or bigger than average) players: Pronger, Lucic, Kovalchuk, Berglund, Beauchemin, Spezza, Gazdic, Kopitar, Doughty, Barrie, Bouwmeester, etc. Other than the inexplicable Zuccarello incident, he almost never targets small guys. I think he lets up a lot against smaller guys to avoid killing them and because he always gets penalized for being too big.

He doesn't go after enforcers because they're not good hockey players, aren't worth the trade-off and rarely have the puck or are matched against the Jets top pairing. But considering two of his highlight hits if you search "Byfuglien hits" on youtube are against Pronger and Lucic, two of the toughest players in this era, your claim is pretty easily debunked.

I guess I should define "picking on" - of course he will hit anyone and everyone, but if Barrie or Lucic took a run at our goalie do you think he would drop the gloves with them? When has he ever done that, ever?

 

[Skiffer55]

I guess I should define "picking on" - of course he will hit anyone and everyone, but if Barrie or Lucic took a run at our goalie do you think he would drop the gloves with them? When has he ever done that, ever?

He'd very stupid to fight them, we need him on the ice. Why do idiots feel the need to try to get into a fight with buff after a huge clean hit? Fights immediately after clean hits are freaking stupid

 

[Evil Little]

He'd very stupid to fight them, we need him on the ice. Why do idiots feel the need to try to get into a fight with buff after a huge clean hit? Fights immediately after clean hits are freaking stupid

Especially prudent for a #1 D man to turn down a fight with a borderline fourth-liner.

 

[Daximus]

If you've ever seen Buff he's the first into literally any scrum if he's in the vicinity and sometimes goes far out of his way to do so. The thing that errks me and it's impossible to deny is that the Refs very obviously have a mandate from the league to not let him fight.
There are probably 6 incidents just this year alone that Buff had engaged someone, anyone, of any size, and when things heat up the refs immediately step in.

I think you're pretty off base saying Buff picks on little guys. He absolutely destroyed Gazdic last year without retaliation. That says a lot.
Lucic has tried to go at him but never engages... but Lucic *****ed out against Kane TWICE last year so I hardly doubt he wants to go toe to toe with Buff.

 

[Daximus]

I guess I should define "picking on" - of course he will hit anyone and everyone, but if Barrie or Lucic took a run at our goalie do you think he would drop the gloves with them? When has he ever done that, ever?

Aside from the one time Doan took out our goalie and he wasn't on the ice. When has he ever had to.
There is a reason our goalie doesn't get run when Buff is on the ice.

 

[Whileee]

I'm curious to get everyones take on this to see where they stand with Byfuglien's physical play and presence. There's no denying that when he WANTS to be physical he is an absolute force. But this certainly doesn't seem to be his nature. I've heard a lot of people say that the reason Buff doesn't fight more is because other players don't want any part of it, but I don't buy that and feel its because Buff doesn't like engaging other team tough guys (not just enforcers where the 5 min penalty trade off doesnt make sense, but guys like Lucic, Chara etc). You almost NEVER see Buff initiate dropping gloves with bigger players, which would give our team a much needed mental edge, more so than simply 'don't poke the sleeping bear'.

He is very much known for picking on smaller players, so my question is - who is currently the most intimidating Dman in the league, factoring hits, fighting and overall nasty play. Where would you rank Byfuglien?

Luke Gazdic - 6'4", 225 lbs, Oilers "enforcer"



Radko Gudas



Cody Bass




Buff shouldn't be fighting with goons, but he doesn't pick his spots.

Smaller pests that crowd the crease and the goalie beware, regardless of size.

 

[Mighty Joe Moon]

He is very much known for picking on smaller players,

Unfair, most of the league is smaller than him.

 

[Hobble]

Relative to Buff, the vast majority of players are smaller.

So yes, he mostly picks on smaller players, as he doesn't get the chance to play against Chara, Hedman, etc. enough.

 

[supersonic jet]

[mod]

Ii don't think Buff likes to fight, would rather hold 2 guys in headlock until they settle down. If he fought he could really hurt someone so I am glad he does not fight.

 

[Flair Hay]

Buff definitely has more of a bully mentality than a warrior mentality. He's still super intimidating though and it makes him effective.

 

[Weezeric]

Luke Gazdic - 6'4", 225 lbs, Oilers "enforcer"



Radko Gudas



Cody Bass




Buff shouldn't be fighting with goons, but he doesn't pick his spots.

Smaller pests that crowd the crease and the goalie beware, regardless of size.

It's funny watching those two "fights" it seems the opposer just tries to grab buff with both arms and wrestle him down so he can't throw a punch. Are there any fights where buff goes toe-to-toe with someone? Those two didn't seem to want anything to do with getting punched by buff.

 

[Ducky10]

Buff definitely has more of a bully mentality than a warrior mentality. He's still super intimidating though and it makes him effective.

Give me a break, where do you get this from?

 

[flyingkiwi]

I guess I should define "picking on" - of course he will hit anyone and everyone, but if Barrie or Lucic took a run at our goalie do you think he would drop the gloves with them? When has he ever done that, ever?

Why would you want to lose Buff to a fighting major when you could lose Thorburn or Peluso?

And with Buff getting a lot of calls simply cause he's big do you really think that fighting is a reputation he needs to have?

 

[SensibleGuy]

I honestly don't get this "bully mentality" thing some people seem to see in Buff. Is it tied to the Kane track suit incident or something? It's nonsense. The guy seems to me like he picks his spots well and doesn't go out of his way to hit or hurt in any big way.

 

[Ducky10]

That's not the case at all. I've watched almlst every Jets game, followed Buff through his career and probably have more of a hockey background than a lot of people on here. I'm just stating my observation. You can honestly say that Buff is just as likely to ride a player like Lucic throughout an entire game than your typical Yakupov? That would be nonsense

More of a hockey background than most around here, you know this how?

I don't know what you're watching or looking for, Buff fighting (which he shouldn't) or Buff playing physical against all players (which he does) . I just see Buff making plays as they come to him, he doesn't pick his spots, when the opportunity arises he'll make the big hit regardless of who it is and it often boosts the team. I for one am glad he doesn't get distracted by idiots like Lucic and just go around head hunting for the sake of doing it.

 

[Uncle Bill]

That's not the case at all. I've watched almlst every Jets game, followed Buff through his career and probably have more of a hockey background than a lot of people on here. I'm just stating my observation. You can honestly say that Buff is just as likely to ride a player like Lucic throughout an entire game than your typical Yakupov? That would be nonsense

I rest my case.

Buff doesn't pick his spots.

[mod]

 

[heretik27]

More of a hockey background than most around here, you know this how?

I don't know what you're watching or looking for, Buff fighting (which he shouldn't) or Buff playing physical against all players (which he does) . I just see Buff making plays as they come to him, he doesn't pick his spots, when the opportunity arises he'll make the big hit regardless of who it is and it often boosts the team. I for one am glad he doesn't get distracted by idiots like Lucic and just go around head hunting for the sake of doing it.

I agree, he just makes the plays as they come up. I don't see any discrimination against smaller players... even though almost everyone is a smaller guy than him.