The strange and unusual saga of Dustin Byfuglien this season took another weird turn now that it has come out that he is at a stage in his post-surgery recovery where the Winnipeg Jets are communicating with the staff who is guiding his recovery. It’s not much more than an olive branch, but it is an important first step in the two sides reconciling.
Byfuglien made headlines this season when he asked the Jets for some personal time away from the team to consider his playing future. The Jets had to suspend him prior to the season to gain some salary cap relief. In November it came out that Byfuglien had ankle surgery for a broken ankle and the Jets were most likely going to arbitration because Byfuglien’s camp thought he should be paid because he was injured playing hockey last season. Except he had signed off on his physical saying he was healthy and that he had never reported for camp. If he had reported for camp and been found injured, the Jets would have placed him on LTIR and had him rehab like he is now.
In short: Byfuglien is now rehabbing his ankle and the Jets are being consulted about it. Nothing more beyond that has changed and he is still away from the team. No date with the arbitrator has been set yet.
