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Maurice says having Byfuglien is ‘huge luxury for us’

Lightning Jets Hockey

Winnipeg Jets’ Dustin Byfuglien, left, celebrates a power-play goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Trevor Hagan)

AP

Dustin Byfuglien was the Winnipeg Jets’ hero last night scoring the overtime game-winner.

After months of grief about his play and a transition from defense to forward, new coach Paul Maurice is enjoying the versatility Byfuglien brings as Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press shares.

“So you get the benefit of the forward and a guy who has played a lot of time on defense,” Maurice said. “It’s a huge, huge luxury for us. It makes my (defensive) pairs right coming off the bench, and up front you get all your best offensive players on the ice that way. It really helps us running the bench.”

Byfuglien has always been an offensive dynamo on the blue line and we’ve seen his skills at forward while with the Chicago Blackhawks. If Maurice has faith in him in this re-transition to being a forward, it could bring a new dimension to the Jets attack.

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