Dustin Byfuglien finally got to close a chapter.
The longtime Jets defenceman returned to Winnipeg ahead of Sunday's Heritage Classic for the alumni game against former Montreal Canadiens players, an experience Byfuglien called "a goodbye we never really got to have."
"Winnipeg, you gave us something this weekend that I didn't realize how much I needed," Byfuglien wrote in a statement released by the Jets on Monday. "The way our chapter in Winnipeg ended wasn’t how any of us imagined it would. There were a lot of emotions, a lot left unsaid, and a goodbye that never really happened. For years, I’ve carried a little sadness about that. Not because of the hockey, but because of the people."
Byfuglien played nine seasons for the Jets organization (one of which was in Atlanta prior to their relocation), during which time he earned all four of his all-star nods. He held the franchise record for most points for a defenceman until March 2026, when Josh Morrissey earned his 417th point.
His time in Winnipeg came to an abrupt end ahead of the 2019-20 season, when he was granted an indefinite personal leave of absence. He then underwent season-ending surgery and, in April 2020, agreed to terminate his contract with the Jets.
He would not play in the NHL again after a 14-year career.
"I know the ending was complicated. I know there were feelings on all sides. But this weekend reminded me that sometimes the love and memories you leave behind are bigger than the way a chapter ends," Byfuglien said.
"And maybe that’s what made this weekend so emotional. We finally got to feel the goodbye we missed, and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined."
Byfuglien received a video tribute during the alumni game, followed by a prolonged ovation from the crowd in Winnipeg.
"Winnipeg will always hold a piece of my heart. Not because of the games, the wins, or the hockey, but because of the people who made it feel like home," Byfuglien said. "Some chapters don’t end the way we hoped. But sometimes, if we’re lucky, we get one more moment to remember just how beautiful they were."
