Dustin Byfuglien with the lumberjack defense

Dustin Byfuglien has a future as a lumberjack if this NHL thing doesn't work out.

By Adam Gretz Dec 5, 2013, 10:29pm EST

Dustin Byfuglien is one of the most prolific scorers in the NHL at his position, but he also takes a lot of heat for his play in the defensive zone which can at times be quite the adventure.

On Thursday, late in Winnipeg's 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers, he had that "oh, crap" moment that happens to every defenseman when he was attempting to chase down a breakaway.

That's when desperation kicked in. And desperation can lead to something ridiculous. That's when Byfuglien decided to use his stick as an ax, while Panthers forward Jimmy Hayes -- who scored on the play -- played the role of a piece of wood.