Former Jets Defenceman Dustin Bufuglien Places in Top-25 in Kenora Bass Fishing International

Former Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien continues to make headlines, long after walking away from the game of hockey.

Having taken a leave from the Jets at the start of the 2019-20 season, Byfuglien never came back, effecting retiring from action thanks to what ended up being an ankle/foot injury. 

Over the course of his career, Byfuglien maintained a heavy on-ice presence, but his off-ice lifestyle was also publicly documented. A title currently owned by Connor Hellebuyck, Kyle Connor and Dylan Samberg among others, Byfuglien used to be the Jets' top fisherman - doing so both on the boat and the ice.

This past weekend, Byfuglien, now 40, once again participated in the Kenora Bass International. 

A tournament running every summer in the popular Lake of the Woods summer destination, Byfuglien and local Ontario partner, Mike Reid, finished as the No. 25 team of 141 groupings - meaning he finished within the top-20 percent of all fishers. 

Doesn’t matter where Dustin Byfuglien is he gets the crowd cheering for him.

Whether he was delivering a thundering hit for the Jets or finishing 25th in the Kenora Bass Invitational as he did this past weekend.

He still gets plenty of love. https://t.co/6fydRPnjkZpic.twitter.com/PI2IEZCKiv

— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) August 11, 2025

The pairing of Byfuglien and Reid finished with a total caught weight of 49.25 pounds over the three-day event, including their tournament-high 17.7 pound bass on Friday. 

The winners, Coel and Paul Forsyth and Adam Rasmussen and Matt Rydberg - who took home a $20,000 prize - posted a total of 56.49 pounds. For their eighth-place finish, Byfuglien and Reid earned an $800 pot. Local Kenora product and fellow NHL alum Mike Richards came in third place alongside his brother Mark.