The spotlight shines on Thrashers' Dustin Byfuglien

Byfuglien will represent the Thrashers at Sunday’s 2011 NHL All-Star Game at RBC Center. His red-carpet arrival, right alongside the game’s elite players, is the most recent culmination of his journey.

“The last couple of years I think I really put myself out there to let people know who I am around the league,” Byfuglien said.

One year ago Byfuglien was playing forward for Chicago and on his way to a 17-goal regular season. He scored 11 playoff goals -- including five game-winners -- as the Blackhawks captured the Stanley Cup. That was enough to make the hockey world stand up and take notice.

The salary-cap-strapped Blackhawks’ loss was the Thrashers’ gain. Byfuglien was traded to the Thrashers just weeks after hoisting the championship trophy. The trade was big news. Byfuglien’s switch to defense, where he started his career, was a bigger story yet. The team and player came under heavy criticism.

“Buff’s always been a great player,” said Thrashers defenseman Brent Sopel, who joined Byfuglien from Chicago in the June 24 trade. “He’s taken on his role wherever he’s been. In Chicago he was playing forward and getting 15 minutes a night and doing well at that. He is a natural ‘D' man. Here he is getting the ice time and the opportunity, and he’s taken advantage of it.”

By the 10th game of the season, Byfuglien already had three game-winning goals for the Thrashers. He now has six game-winners, tied for first in the NHL. His 16 goals lead all defensemen, and his 41 points are tied for fourth.

The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has done it with a flair for the dramatic and a personality that has been welcomed in the Thrashers' locker room and with the fan base. Of his 16 goals, 11 have come in the third period or overtime.

“The last couple years in big moments, he comes up big,” said Thrashers captain Andrew Ladd, another former Blackhawk. “He wants to win. He’s one of those guys who steps up in key moments.”

Byfuglien acknowledges he had extra motivation this season. He wanted to prove those naysayers wrong regarding his move to defense. Perhaps his All-Star selection has done that.

“I came out with nothing to lose,” Byfuglien said. “All I could do was go out there and play defense and play the way I love to play. It was all in my hands. Everyone was kind of chirping and saying I shouldn’t be doing this.

"I had a gut feeling I could go back there and play better than I had in the past. I’ve been able to surprise a lot of people.”

He is second only to Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin in total shots, but Byfuglien’s success has not been solely about his scoring. His efforts on offense have been aided by the coverage provided by defensive partner Tobias Enstrom -- himself an All-Star before a broken finger prevented his participation. However, Byfuglien is tied for fifth in the league in takeways.

“He always talks that he likes playing defense better,” former Chicago teammate Patrick Kane said.

Another piece of evidence on how far Byfuglien’s career has come was being named an alternate captain for the Thrashers. The move surprised many -- including Byfuglien. While he has been part of the team’s leadership, the move hasn’t altered Byfuglien’s good nature -- especially with his teammates. He often shoots the puck at the feet of skaters during practices just to let them know he’s around.

“They were looking for someone to take charge and step up and show the guys what they need to do,” Byfuglien said. “Coming from a Cup team, it was an honor to be able to put [the ‘A’] on and run with it. I didn’t change anything. I’m still the same guy in the locker room and I like to mess around a little bit.”

Byfuglien said being placed on the All-Star ballot as a defenseman was the first indication to him that eventually the spotlight would find him. It has now.

“I got to hide behind a few good players in Chicago and didn’t have to worry about things like that,” Byfuglien said. “Here I’m in the mix with the top guys. It’s kind of different but it’s fun.”