Player Discussion: Byfuglien - Managing the asset

[10Ducky10]

Really like Buff... Guys a character but... Id strongly consider moving him. I think you'd get a huge haul for him...

Losing that 7.6 cap hit would def be a good thing moving forward.

But i only do it if Trouba signs a new deal first or i have an agreement that he will.

Trouba has been looking more like last year Trouba the last 5 maybe 10 games now.... Him and Morrissey are officially our best D...

Myers Kulikov is a fine 2nd pair and work well together... Myers has been good despite the narrative pushed on here at times.. Kulikov has been an extremely pleasant signing.. Perhaps one that is overlooked.
Poolman Toby (1 yr deal with way less money) would be fine for next season.

Id probably want 2018 2019 first D prospect and roster player (3rd line center not making 6 million like RNH )

I think teams would do it.

So, you don't want to trade Trouba this week?

 

[Ducky10]

I do! How many 2 on 1s did he give up today for poor pinching? Oh well, right?!

I haven't had a chance to review the game yet but it always amuses me when the blame for odd man rushes get blamed on a "pinching" D, almost always with Buff. Sometimes it's the case but very often, more often than not even, it isn't the case.

 

[HPsauce]

This has been an issue for years. I've never been a Buff fan. For all his amazing plays there's always been 5 game changing negative plays.

I don't think we can contend until he reels in his game and plays a full team game, or until he's traded.

He's not our best D, not even close.

I wouldn't mind seeing Buff traded. I feel like his play with take a steep decline in the next year, and there may be an opportunity for a buyout.

I think he's too selfish to change.

 

[Jerts]

I've seen alot of bench/trade/I don't like him replies.

My analysis:

• Be patient
• Let him gradually get his minutes up
• Let him settle back into a role that he seemed comfortable with the first part of the season. (balanced/responsible)
• Extract maximum Bufftential (patent pending)
• Winnipeg media will be informed that Buff is leading the charge to the Cup due to his experience
• Win Cup
• Trade in offseason

 

[Guerzy]

It seems to me that he wasn't happy with taking a back seat minutes wise to JoMo and Trouba last game and seemingly tried too hard to make an impact today in order to show the coach that he should be playing. Well it backfired on him and he's lucky he got bailed out by Helle tonight. Less is more with Buff and for a good chuck of the year he has been playing good hockey. I would hope that he can accept that moving forward he won't be the top dog on the blue line and get back to playing like he can.

I don't think Moe has been too happy with his defense as today was the 2nd game in a row that he got less than 20 minutes (When has that ever happened here before?) I think if he gets his game back in order his minutes will go back up over 20 but I think the days where he is guaranteed to play the most minutes night in and night out are over as we have two other dmen that will be gunning for them.

I'll say one thing re; Buff the other night in the Buffalo game. When it ended and he wasn't on the ice for the last few minutes of the game, and as the team stood up to go on the ice and celebrate, Buff just sat there with a smug look on his face and his body language was pretty poor. While I don't want to blow it out of proportion, it just stunk to me an act of not putting the team first/thinking you're bigger than the team. The team just won, don't sit there and mope and sulk for those few seconds. If I didn't know any better from watching his reaction I'd think the team just lost/got blown out. Again, I don't intend to be dramatic about it, but I just didn't like it personally.

 

[surixon]

I'll say one thing re; Buff the other night in the Buffalo game. When it ended and he wasn't on the ice for the last few minutes of the game, and as the team stood up to go on the ice and celebrate, Buff just sat there with a smug look on his face and his body language was pretty poor. While I don't want to blow it out of proportion, it just stunk to me an act of not putting the team first/thinking you're bigger than the team. The team just won, don't sit there and mope and sulk for those few seconds. If I didn't know any better from watching his reaction I'd think the team just lost/got blown out. Again, I don't intend to be dramatic about it, but I just didn't like it personally.

I lost have missed that after the Buffalo game. It doesn't look too good on him if it went down as you say it did. I like Buff and I understand it isn't always easy to take a lesser role but that is what happens with good teams with hungry youngsters.

As I said I hope he can learn to accept what looks like will be a reduced role going forward. He is a very good hockey player that helps us win when dialed in.

 

[Ducky10]

This has been an issue for years. I've never been a Buff fan. For all his amazing plays there's always been 5 game changing negative plays.

5 game changing negative plays, a year? A game?

Nothing he did against San Jose changed the game in a negative way, just saying.

 

[Weezeric]

This is a team that plays Tanev more than Perreault, Armia, Dano, and plays Hendricks over Roslo, Petan, Lukas Sutter, and Buff is the problem.

Ya, if Lukas Sutter was in the lineup the jets would be undefeated...

 

[Guerzy]

I lost have missed that after the Buffalo game. It doesn't look too good on him if it went down as you say it did. I like Buff and I understand it isn't always easy to take a lesser role but that is what happens with good teams with hungry youngsters.

As I said I hope he can learn to accept what looks like will be a reduced role going forward. He is a very good hockey player that helps us win when dialed in.

Trying to find video of it but I haven't been unsuccessful. They showed it yesterday during the game.

 

[Jet]

I was really happy with the Buff we had pre-injury but he seems to be back to his old hijinks - selfish play and lack of dedication to DEFENSE.

I also hated that he sat and sulked while everyone celebrated the win vs. Buffalo. Someone with a letter on their sweater should never act like that.

He's a selfish player - always has been. I liked his team first attitude for most of the first half of the year. Hope he gets back to that.

No way he's a 7.5MM defenseman right now, though.

 

[kylbaz]

I haven't had a chance to review the game yet but it always amuses me when the blame for odd man rushes get blamed on a "pinching" D, almost always with Buff. Sometimes it's the case but very often, more often than not even, it isn't the case.

I'm okay with calculated gambles, but pinches that aren't even close, or pinching on the PP when all you have to do is waste 10 seconds to back out of the zone and reset to enter the zone, it's just stupid.

 

[kylbaz]

It's not so much I dislike Buff, I actually haven't minded him this year, but business wise it would be a good move to dump him. He'd free up a ton of money, and he's going to keep declining. We didn't miss a beat without him.

 

[CaptainChef]

Byfuglien seems to have trouble with consistency.

When he's good he has an almost unmatched skillset.
When he's bad he is an absolute liability.

Bench him and he's probably less productive and less of a trade asset.
Let him do his thing and you are setting a bad example for the rest of the team.

What would you do?

How hard can it be for a guy who has played that many years to decide when its a good idea to play with a little risk versus when its more important that he pays attention to his defensive responsibilities. Totally out to lunch on those responsibilities again yesterday, so its up to the coaches to let him know that sort of behaviour/choices are unacceptable.

 

[CaptainChef]

Play him 21-23 minutes per game. He seems to play better in that range. Accept the warts and bask in the goodness

Agree on cutting back his playing time but how can you say that we should accept this sort of irresponsibility and at times it appears revolt from a guy that is looked upon as a leader & wears an A?

 

[CaptainChef]

I'll say one thing re; Buff the other night in the Buffalo game. When it ended and he wasn't on the ice for the last few minutes of the game, and as the team stood up to go on the ice and celebrate, Buff just sat there with a smug look on his face and his body language was pretty poor. While I don't want to blow it out of proportion, it just stunk to me an act of not putting the team first/thinking you're bigger than the team. The team just won, don't sit there and mope and sulk for those few seconds. If I didn't know any better from watching his reaction I'd think the team just lost/got blown out. Again, I don't intend to be dramatic about it, but I just didn't like it personally.

Its been pointed out many times before that Buff is indeed quite a selfish player. Buffs behaviour after the Buffalo game just highlights that me first, rest of the team second attitude. Totally unacceptable approach for an assistant captain.

 

[CaptainChef]

5 game changing negative plays, a year? A game?

Nothing he did against San Jose changed the game in a negative way, just saying.

Wow, how can you say that? He is given a chance to perform on the PK and he takes an unnecessary risk followed by a stupid stick penalty. That leaves the team in a terrible spot fighting a 5 on 3 for a minute & they surrender a goal. Then on the PP, and being up by 2, he makes another totally unadvisable attempt at a pinch surrendering a breakaway. Only Helle prevented another total turnaround in momentum. If those aren't game-changing plays at unnecessary times, I really don't know what to say.

 

[MoreMorrissey]

5 game changing negative plays, a year? A game?

Nothing he did against San Jose changed the game in a negative way, just saying.

What? So the terrible pinch on the power play that led to a breakaway, the dumb penalty taken when we were already down one which the sharks SCORED on or the brutal turnover to burns for an odd man rush didn’t have a negative impact? Come on man all of us who watched the game know this isn’t true.

 

[Halberdier]

I've seen alot of bench/trade/I don't like him replies.

My analysis:

• Be patient
• Let him gradually get his minutes up
• Let him settle back into a role that he seemed comfortable with the first part of the season. (balanced/responsible)
• Extract maximum Bufftential (patent pending)
• Winnipeg media will be informed that Buff is leading the charge to the Cup due to his experience
• Win Cup
• Trade in offseason

I did like that "Win Cup" part a lot.

 

[Halberdier]

Wow, how can you say that? He is given a chance to perform on the PK and he takes an unnecessary risk followed by a stupid stick penalty. That leaves the team in a terrible spot fighting a 5 on 3 for a minute & they surrender a goal. Then on the PP, and being up by 2, he makes another totally unadvisable attempt at a pinch surrendering a breakaway. Only Helle prevented another total turnaround in momentum. If those aren't game-changing plays at unnecessary times, I really don't know what to say.

There was also some odd moments when he was playing as left winger throwing his body. And couple of other pinches that just barely went okay.

Last game he was the disastrous Buff we did see way too often last season, but for this season his play was just very odd as he has been overall very responsible and good barring only few games.

 

[Whileee]

I think Buff just needs to settle down and realize he plays on a very good team now and he doesn't need to make things happen outside the flow of the game. It's hard to be too harsh on a player for a split-second decision on a pinch at the blue line, but if he starts his shift thinking that his team has a two-goal lead and they don't need him to play risky to generate more offense, he's less likely to pinch and more likely to defend. Similarly, the Sharks were really only generating offense on the PP, so when you have a chance on the PK focus on shutting them down, not trying to make a steal at their blue line to score when you already have a two goal lead.

I'm pretty sure he'll figure it out, and I don't think Maurice will look to send him any more messages. In fact, Buff was on the ice for defending the lead after the Sharks pulled their goalie yesterday. It was Kulikov who seemed to get the pine a bit later in the game, maybe for his really bad turnover at center ice during the game.

 

[Ducky10]

Umm, they won 4-1, how did it change the game? Changing the game in a negative way means it results in a negative outcome. It affected the game, it didn't change the game. I didn't say he didn't make mistakes but mistakes happen all over the place, some are more magnified than others.

We're a better team with Buff, warts and all. It's actually quite funny what a lightning rod he is for criticism.

 

[sting13]

This is a team that plays Tanev more than Perreault, Armia, Dano, and plays Hendricks over Roslo, Petan, Lukas Sutter, and Buff is the problem.

Last I saw Lukas Sutter was playing for U. of Saskatchewan last season. Not sure he is even in hockey anymore.

 

[Monkey D Luffy]

I'm afraid in playoffs his minutes will creep back to the 25 minute mark and if overtime comes up he will be hitting 30. Hope they have Morrissey and Trouba playing the majority of the minutes.

 

[Ducky10]

This alleged "pinch" isn't on Buff imo, I've seen a D man hold the line in this situation countless times, I'd expect them to. Suffice it say Lowry, Little and arguably Hendricks doesn't allow this odd man rush, it's not how the Jets support. You know who pretty weak on that play as well. That's all I'll say.


Penalty wasn't great, Wheeler shares some blame, he was being opportunistic in a situation he didn't need to be, it played a part. Those are tough plays that happen quickly, it's a desperation play after getting beat, Hertl made a nice move.

Pinch on the PP was bad, no question. Of all the risk in Buff's game, those are the one's he doesn't need whatsoever, if he just cuts down on plays like that it would be beneficial for the team. I think he will, I wasn't seeing that before the injury.

I like the way Maurice is handling it, as a Buff fan I've long said his icetime needs to come down, if some of it is done as an act of discipline for plays like that last one, I'm all for it.

 

[CaptainChef]

This alleged "pinch" isn't on Buff imo, I've seen a D man hold the line in this situation countless times, I'd expect them to. Suffice it say Lowry, Little and arguably Hendricks doesn't allow this odd man rush, it's not how the Jets support. You know who pretty weak on that play as well. That's all I'll say.


Penalty wasn't great, Wheeler shares some blame, he was being opportunistic in a situation he didn't need to be, it played a part. Those are tough plays that happen quickly, it's a desperation play after getting beat, Hertl made a nice move.

Pinch on the PP was bad, no question. Of all the risk in Buff's game, those are the one's he doesn't need whatsoever, if he just cuts down on plays like that it would be beneficial for the team. I think he will, I wasn't seeing that before the injury.

I like the way Maurice is handling it, as a Buff fan I've long said his icetime needs to come down, if some of it is done as an act of discipline for plays like that last one, I'm all for it.

Yep, didn't even mention that pinch in his series of bad decisions for yesterday's game and its the most forgivable of the three really bad plays he makes. If we were behind on the scoresheet when he made these plays, I'd understand, but he is constantly making those pinches and taking unnecessary stick penalties when we are up by 1-2 goals. That's all we're saying, he needs to apply some common sense out there.