Dustin Byfuglien

Dustin Byfuglien (born March 27, 1985), is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career
Byfuglien was drafted by the Blackhawks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, chosen 245th overall in the 8th round. Originally a defenceman at the start of the 2007–2008 season, he was moved to a forward position to give the team a larger body near the net, an experiment which has proven successful.

The forward excelled in his third professional season, earning a recall on November 3 to the Chicago Blackhawks and never returning to the Rockford IceHogs. In eight games with Rockford, Byfuglien had seven points. He had a goal in his first shift with the Blackhawks in the 2007–08 NHL season on November 3 against the St. Louis Blues and recorded his first career hat trick against the Phoenix Coyotes on November 30. He finished tied for fifth on the team with 19 goals and 36 points in his third season with the team, all while making a transition to forward throughout the campaign. He was the first Rockford player to earn the American Hockey League's Player of the Week award in Week 3, when he scored one goal and five assists in four games.