The Petersfield Motor Inn in Petersfield, Man. welcomed a surprise guest for their New Year’s Eve festivities.
Petersfield is an hour north of Winnipeg. It’s also a preferred ice fishing destination for Winnipeg Jets’ defenceman Dustin Byfuglien.
Byfuglien dropped by to enjoy a couple beers with fans after a day of ice fishing on Netley Creek, just minutes north of the town.
“When he first walked in we were sitting right by the door, and my boyfriend said ‘Hey, there’s Big Buff!'” said Leslie Meek, who was at the bar the night of Byfuglien’s surprise appearance.
“(Byfuglien) just looked at him and went ‘shhhh’.”
Meek said it’s not the first time “Big Buff” has been spotted hanging out with the locals in Petersfield.
“We saw him here a couple of years ago, I have a Byfuglien jersey and he signed it for me. He’s a really down-to-earth guy,” she continued.
Byfuglien hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury against the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 28, and is expected to be out for a number of weeks.
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Despite posing for dozens of photos with fans he didn’t appear to be 100 per cent, said the bar’s General Manager, Amrinder Mann.
“He was not feeling so great, he was injured and not walking properly, but he stayed in the bar for an hour and he had a good time, I hope.”