Dustin Byfuglien surprises everyone in Winnipeg on Friday night!

Since Dustin Byfuglien walked away from a contract worth around $14 million with the Winnipeg Jets in 2019, the defenseman has barely made any public appearances or done a whole lot of interviews. In April 2020, it was made official, and Byfuglien stepped away from hockey.

He has however been seen on Friday night during the ceremony for Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, reaching a milestone of 300 NHL career wins. The former blue liner sent a quick video message for a special tribute for Hellebuyck and in true Big Buff fashion, it was brief yet powerful:

“Keep kicking ass.”

The crowd went wild upon seeing Byfuglien on the scoreborad.

Back in his playing days in the NHL, Byfuglien was a nightmare to play against thanks to his size and speed, but also his hockey IQ. While he hasn’t played in the big league since April 6, 2019, it was obvious that the fans in Winnipeg still love him and miss him as part of the Jets’ lineup.

In his last season in the NHL, Byfuglien only played 42 games, but he still recorded 31 points.

I’m sure his message was great motivation, not only to Hellebuyck, but the rest of his former teammates in Winnipeg.