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. Jerryd Bayless Timberwolves Jersey . Barnard, 28, was 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA in three appearances, including two starts, with San Angel o this season. He struck out 19 batters and walked just one in 17 innings pitched. He has previous American Association experience with the Lincoln Saltdogs, El Paso Diablos and Amarillo Sox. Gorgui Dieng Timberwolves Jersey . The game had many controversial incidents that, upon closer inspection, were not as controversial as many believed. The Formations Toronto FC lined up in its usual 4-4-2 formation, with Nick Hagglund slotting in at right fullback and Bradley Orr at centreback in place of the injured Mark Bloom and Steven Caldwell, respectively. http://www.timberwolvesgear.com/authenti...rwolves-jersey/. Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. Jerryd Bayless Jersey . Bayern led second-place Leverkusen by 10 points with a game in hand, while Dortmund was another four points off the pace. Freiburg midfielder Felix Klaus scored in the last minute as his side twice came from behind to climb provisionally out of the relegation zone. Andrew Wiggins Timberwolves Jersey . -- Lindsey Vonn squeezed in a little freeskiing on Thanksgiving morning, a step in the right direction for a return to racing after reinjuring her right knee in a recent training crash.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabamas quarterbacks both got auditions for the starting job, but its not clear yet who will win the role. Blake Sims had 214 passing yards and Jake Coker threw for 202 to lead the second-ranked Crimson Tide to a 41-0 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday in a game cut short early for lightning. Its the first time two Alabama quarterbacks had thrown for 200 yards in the same game and the second most passing yards in program history behind Scott Hunters 484 against Auburn in 1969. Both quarterbacks got a chance to make a case for the Tides starting job in a one-sided game. The schools agreed to end the game with 7:53 left and Alabama (2-0) nearing the end zone again. Sims only significant misstep was a fumble near the goal line. "Blake played well except for the one play, and Jake got some experience," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "I think that experience should help his confidence and his ability to play with a little bit better rhythm as he gets that confidence. He did some very good things as well." Saban had made it clear leading up to the game that the battle to replace AJ McCarron wasnt over, though Coker only played briefly at the end of a victory over West Virginia. He enrolled at Alabama over the summer. Sims passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third in his second straight start, all in the first three quarters. He was 11-of-13 passing and said the fumble resulted from "a misunderstanding." "Something weve got to get better on," Sims said. "We did what we had to do and moved to the next play, and thats a good thing you look out of it, look back at it (Sunday) and learn from it." Coker went 15-of-24 with a touchdown in his first significant action but the Florida State transfer missed some open receivers downfield. Amari Cooker had 189 receiving yards and tied DJ Halls 8-year-old school record with 13 catches. It was his fourth straight 100-yard game, one shy of Halls school recoord, and his second in a row with double-digit receptions.dddddddddddd The Tide outgained the Owls 620-145. Florida Atlantic had allowed 784 yards in the opening 55-7 loss to No. 19 Nebraska. The Owls got $1 million paydays for each game, though. Florida Atlantic played without starting quarterback Jaquez Johnson, who injured his non-throwing left shoulder against Nebraska. Greg Hankerson was 12-of-19 passing for 88 yards. "We had several freshmen on the field playing against some of the best players in the nation," Owls coach Charlie Partridge said. Sims got Alabama rolling early, leading the Tide to three touchdown drives in the first quarter. He ran for a 7-yard score then launched a 52-yarder to Cooper and a 39-yarder to Kenyan Drake. Sims completed eight of his first nine passes and the incompletion was on a dropped ball. His other incompletion came when Cooper couldnt bring in a deflected pass in the end zone. Coker entered the game late in the quarter after Alabama recovered a fumble across midfield. The Tide got a field goal out of it. Coker added a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jalston Fowler, set up by his 15-yard run on the previous play. Both quarterbacks employed a similar strategy: Get the ball to Cooper as often as possible. Coker threw two screen passes to him on his first drive and they failed to connect in the end zone on third down. Alabama also gained 204 yards on the ground among eight rushers. T.J. Yeldon (43 yards) and Kenyan Drake (45) both got seven carries. Jay Warren ran for 56 yards on nine carries to lead Florida Atlantic. Saban said he and the players would rather have finished the game, but that it was a good decision to halt it. Thunder echoed through the sky, and many fans had already left. The ones that remained scurried for the exits when play was paused. "Its the first time Ive ever had a game called off and its the first time I ever beat the media to the press conference," Saban joked. ' ' '