WINNIPEG - A few rare smiles crossed Dustin Byfuglien’s face as reporters crowded around him after practice Tuesday.The Winnipeg Jets defenceman is enjoying a season thats brought him accolades from the NHL and praise from his teammates and coach for being a special player.The NHL’s first star of the week after collecting six points in four games, Byfuglien will take part in the league’s all-star game in Columbus, Ohio, this weekend.The recognition is coming during a season he says has him feeling more confident and settled in his personal and professional life.Byfuglien was married last summer to long-time girlfriend Emily Hendry, and in early December head coach Paul Maurice moved him from forward to his preferred position on defence after injuries felled a number of blue-liners.I think making her my wife finally has helped out and made things good, he said with a smile. I think just all around. Just going back to defence, I just like getting out of my bed and just going to work. It’s something that I enjoy and just kept going with it.The Jets (25-14-8) are on a four-game win streak as they get set to host Columbus (20-21-3) on Wednesday for their last game before the all-star break. They hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, five points ahead of Calgary.The 29-year-old Byfuglien said there’s absolutely no doubt he’s playing better defence than in the past.Former Jets head coach Claude Noel had moved Byfuglien to forward in early January 2014. When Noel was fired a few days later and replaced by Maurice, the new coach kept him in that spot.Byfuglien noted the Jets have been playing different systems with Maurice and that’s had an impact on everyone.As a team we’ve changed our game so much, he said. The way we play, and the way we played back then, it’s way different. We feed off each other and you can make plays.And the six-foot-five, 260-pound Byfuglien has been making plays and putting up points.In 47 games, he has 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points. But 20 of those points have come in the 21 games he’s played defence since Dec. 5.He’s unlike anyone, Jets forward Blake Wheeler said of Byfuglien. He’s special in a lot of ways.That includes Byfuglien’s physical presence, but also his instincts on the ice and the way he reads plays and intercepts pucks, Wheeler explained.He’s been dominant since he’s been back on (defence) especially, and he’s been a huge reason for our success.Byfuglien hasn’t really changed this season, but he may be feeling better about the way his game is viewed, Wheeler said.I think he’s just comfortable now and I think he feels appreciated, he said. I think he felt under-appreciated before, you know, with a lot of the things he does and the things he tries to do.It can be frustrating as a player to come to work everyday and, kind of, it’s almost like a puppy. You hit him on the head and he keeps coming back for love, and if you don’t get it, it can sometimes wear on you a little bit.I think this year he feels appreciated, he feels like what he does is impactful on what we’re trying to do as a team.Byfuglien said he’s been following what Maurice has told him to do since he switched back to defence.Little things. Doing what I do and not get out of the game plan, Byfuglien said. Just stick with it and everything will just come.The player fans love to call Big Buff has also turned up his physical game.Rookie defenceman Ben Chiarot has been paired with Byfuglien and said the veteran is helping him make the transition. His friends and family ask him what Byfuglien is like and he tells them he’s a fun guy who likes to joke around on and off the ice.He also enjoys watching Byfuglien’s physical game.He’s so strong and so much bigger than everyone else, he just manhandles guys out there, Chiarot said. It’s like he’s playing with kids sometimes, so that’s fun to watch and it’s been impressive to see.Maurice said it might not be fair to say Byfuglien is exceeding his expectations on the blue-line.There’s never been a doubt that he’s a special player, he said. He can really do whatever he sets his mind to do.What the future holds for Byfuglien really depends on how having all the defencemen healthy will affect the minutes played, he said. The Blue Jackets contest may feature the return of defenceman Jacob Trouba, who’s missed 16 games with an upper-body injury. Trouba practised Tuesday and is awaiting medical clearance. He’s the last of four key defencemen to return after the rash of injuries.I’m in no hurry to get him out of there by any means, Maurice said. He’s a defenceman right now and he’s one of the best in the league right now so there’s no need to change that.Note: The Jets and CFLs Blue Bombers announced Tuesday that they were unable to finalize a date to host the Heritage Classic outdoor game at Investors Group Field next season and are very hopeful that a date can be secured early in the 2016-17 season. Whitey Herzog Jersey . Englands only win in the four most recent trips north had been tight, and Scotland was expected after losing 28-6 to Ireland six days ago to show some venom against its archrival. Edinson Volquez Jersey . Blatter also told reporters Saturday after meeting with Qatars emir that the decision to award the tournament to the desert nation is "not reversible." There have been calls to move the tournament because of Qatars intense heat. https://www.cheaproyals.com/1767a-bud-bl...royals.html.com) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to win two straight games for the first time since mid-January on Monday night as they play host to the struggling New York Islanders. Cheap Royals Jerseys . There are practical ideas, like this Chewbaca inspired Star Wars jerseys. Star Wars themed jerseys for the Toledo Mud Hens. Freddie Patek Jersey .Bekker was added Wednesday in exchange for allocation money after two seasons with Toronto. The native of Canada had 29 MLS appearances, including 16 starts. Hes also played in 13 games for the Canadian national team.Newark, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - Jaromir Jagr recorded his first hat trick in almost nine years and set a league record in the process, Cory Schneider came up with 18 saves, and New Jersey pounded Philadelphia by a 5-2 count at Prudential Center. Jagr became the oldest player in NHL history to score three times in one contest, doing so at 42 years, 322 days. Gordie Howe held the previous mark on his three-goal effort at the age of 41. The Czech veteran also crept closer to Phil Esposito (717) on the leagues all-time goals list, finishing the night with 714 career tallies. I like to score a hat trick but I dont like to be the oldest guy. I dont want to be the oldest, Jagr quipped. Scott Gomez added a goal and two assists with Patrik Elias providing the other marker for the Devils, who won for just the third time in their last 13 games. Andrew MacDonald and Vincent Lecavalier scored once each for the Flyers, who finished their eight-game road trip at 3-4-1 after losing their final five dates. Ray Emery allowed three goals on 10 shots in the first period to take the loss. Steve Mason finished up with just six saves on eight shots. We didnt do any justice to ourselves these last couple games, said Mason. These are points that were there for the taking. We shouldve had four points from them, and came up with some pretty flat efforts. At this point of the year, we dont need to keep saying it, but its completely unacceptable. Team captain and second-ranking scorer Claude Giroux did not play, one night after suffering a skate cut to the back of his left leg in Carolina. It ended his streak of 168 consecutive regular-season appearances. The Devils recorded the games first goal with 6:40 remaining in the opening period. Emery played the puck beehind his net, but a backhanded clear instead found the stick of Adam Henrique, and Jagr poked it home with a backhander from behind the goal line.dddddddddddd Elias scored just over two minutes later from the right side on a power play, after all four Flyers penalty killers drifted to the left side to watch Martin Havlats cross-ice pass. It was 3-0 for the hosts on a Jagr wrister with less than four seconds to go. He stripped Flyers defenseman Mark Streit near the blue line and within the span of several strides, uncorked a trademark wrister from the right wing. New Jersey went up by four just before the midway point of regulation, as Gomez buried a low shot inside the right post to finish off a 4-on-2 break. The rout continued and history was made at the 12:32 mark, when Gomez set up behind Mason and flipped a pass in front where Jagr, sliding towards the crease, was able to direct the puck in to cap his trifecta. MacDonald finally punctured Schneider on a blast with 3:22 remaining before intermission, and Lecavalier fired through an R.J. Umberger screen at 5:59 of the third for a power-play strike. Game Notes Jagr recorded his 15th NHL hat trick and first since March 22, 2006, when he scored all three goals for the Rangers in a 6-3 loss to the Flyers at Madison Square Garden ... Prior to the contest, the Devils recalled defenseman Mark Fraser from Albany of the AHL ... Philly had not dropped five in a row without gaining a point beyond regulation since Nov. 27-Dec. 7, 2009, a losing skid which included the removal of John Stevens and installation of Peter Laviolette as head coach ... The Flyers also played without forward Scott Laughton, deemed day-to-day with a lower-body injury. ' ' '