Has average skating ability, although reasonably quick for his size. Needs to work on his stamina as he tires easily and then tends to glide. His shot is heavy, but not very accurate. He also doesn’t seem to have any hockey sense or vision on the ice. In other words, he tends to pass to where his teammate was not where he will be. Byfuglien is a competent stickhandler and can beat opponents one-on-one due to his incredible strength on the puck. He seems to lack focus and rarely takes advantage of his size by playing with any kind of a mean streak. Most defensemen are forced to play his stick, as he is almost impossible to knock down or off the puck. He has very poor work habits and needs to display more initiative. He can be forced into turnovers at importune times, like when he is the last man back. Byfuglien is versatile and can be used in most situations and in any position. In fact, he often plays forward and defense in the same game.
Projection:
Few players have the upside Dustin Byfuglien has to his game. That is why most if not all NHL teams will be willing to overlook the obvious negatives. He is the kind of a player that a team looking to hit a home run will reach for.
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