Report: Byfuglien doubtful to play next season

Dustin Byfuglien appears close to calling it a career.

"It's very unlikely Dustin Byfuglien's going to play," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest edition of "Saturday Headlines."

"Teams have asked," Friedman continued. "One of the teams that has asked is the Minnesota Wild. They figured because Byfuglien obviously has a lot of ties to Minnesota, he'd want to play there, and they could use him. They're probably the only team that has a chance, but I checked with Byfuglien's agent, Ben Hankinson, (and) he said it's doubtful that Byfuglien will play again."

The 35-year-old defenseman sat out the 2019-20 campaign amid a contract dispute with the Winnipeg Jets, which stemmed from a difference of opinion over his health entering this season. He and the club agreed to a contract termination in April, which made him an unrestricted free agent.

Byfuglien originally had one year remaining on his contract with Winnipeg and would have received payments through 2020-21.

The gargantuan rearguard would be one of the top free-agent blue-liners if he chose to resume playing, despite his age and his extended NHL absence.