Top 5 players in NHL history to switch positions during their career

Dustin Byfuglien made a switch of his position during his NHL career.

Dustin Byfuglien was one of the few cases where he was as successful on defense as he was on offense. Drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 8th round (245th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft, Byfuglien was a defenseman to start his NHL career and made himself known as a bruiser along the boards who could also produce offensively.

The 6-foot-5 and 260-pound Byfuglien was such a force in the defensive zone yet had enough speed to score a nice goal later in the game. He could not be stopped and, at his size, players simply could not move him in the defensive zone.

Byfuglien switched to forward for the Blackhawks as they needed a big body in front of the net on the power play and to create room for the more skilled players.

It was not until he was with the Atlanta Thrashers that he was moved back to the defensive position and remained there his entire career. He became one of the NHL’s hardest hitters on defense and also brought a laser of a shot with him to the power play.

Byfuglien would compete in three all-star games (2011, 2015, 2016) and also won his only Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, becoming the first black American-born player to achieve such a feat.

He would last play in the NHL in 2019 and was then released by the Winnipeg Jets in 2020. He made a career out of creating space for his teammates, whether it was on defense or offense. When on defense, he was one of the best around during his time.

Brent Burns is one of the best players to ever switch positions in the NHL.

Brent Burns was drafted as a right-winger by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (20th overall) in the 2003 NHL draft. He was a right-winger up until he turned pro then head coach Jacques Lemaire wanted him to play as a defenseman because of the roster setup.

From then on, Burns would switch between defense and right-wing often and it was not until a few years ago that he fully became a defenseman. Known for his missing teeth, tattoos, and beard, Burns adjusted well and became a force on the ice.

Burns spent last season with the Carolina Hurricanes and posted 18 goals and 43 assists for 61 points in 82 games. For his career, he has 245 goals and 593 assists for 838 points in 1,333 games.

While he has been in the game for 20 years, the 6-foot-5 and 230-pound Burns have played the same, physical style that he is known for, along with his cannon shot from the point.

In his career, he has participated in six all-star games and won the 2016-17 NHL Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman with 29 goals and 47 assists for 76 points in 82 games. He has also been successful on international ice, achieving more than Stanley Cups.

He won a gold medal at the 2015 World Championships in the Czech Republic,  won a silver medal in Quebec City in 2008, won another gold medal at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and finally won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Finland in 2004.

Today, he remains a crucial part of the Hurricanes blue line and is contributing to the team’s success in the only way he can.

There have been NHL players changing positions for a very long time.

Frederick Wellington Taylor may not ring a bell but Cyclone Taylor is known to vintage hockey fans. The 5-foot-8 and 165-pound Taylor was converted to forward in 1913 and went on to win five scoring titles as a member of the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA).

Taylor was known for taking the puck as a defenseman and rushing the puck up the ice, most of the time untouched. He then earned the name “Cyclone” as it seemed to fit the speed at which he played.

He was a pure goal-scorer throughout his career, even in the defensive position. He had a sneaky shot that would always elude the goaltender and used that to his advantage while playing a gritty style of game.

Taylor would win 2 Stanley Cups, one with the Ottawa Senators in 1909 and one with Vancouver in 1915. He would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947 and was later inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame along with the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame.

Taylor would finish his career but went on to bigger and better things, remaining in the game of hockey. He was named the inaugural president of the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) from 1936-1940. He would have an incredible career as a player and would be one of the first real goal-scorers of his time.

After breaking his hip in 1978, his health began a downward spiral. He left his earth on June 9, 1979, in the place where he spent most of his hockey career, in Vancouver.

He would be honored by the Vancouver Canucks organization, having a trophy named after him, the “Cyclone Taylor Trophy”, given to the team’s Most Valuable Player.

Mathieu Dandenault has switched positions in his NHL career.

Mathieu Dandenault was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2nd round (49th overall) of the 1994 NHL Draft. Drafted as a forward, he converted to defenseman in the 2001-2002 season because of his defensive style and speed and showed he can be reliable on the back end.

While not an elite scorer by any means, he could produce offense if need be but was a defensive player by trade. For his career, Dandenault produced 68 goals and 135 assists for 203 points in 868 games and was a +42.

He spent the most successful part of his career with Detroit and played the last four years of his NHL career with the Montreal Canadians. He would be a part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams in Detroit (1997, 1998, 2002 ).

Dandenault was also successful away from NHL ice as he won a gold medal at the 2003 World Championships in Helinski, Finland. He would contribute two goals and three assists for five points in nine games.

Although Detroit had bigger names on the roster, Dandenault would play a big part in those Stanley Cups as he was solid in his own end and would push the puck up to the talented forwards. He did not receive enough recognition for his efforts as he was surrounded by Hall of Famers while with Detroit.

He was small in stature at 6-foot and 200 pounds but he played a big game in all three zones. He gave up scoring as he did in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Sherbrooke Faucons to help prevent goals and win championships.

Underrated, he had a good NHL career that was prolonged by the positional move to defense, which gave him more years to prove his worth.

Sergei Federov is a former NHL player who switched positions in his career.

Sergei Fedorov was one of the most offensively productive players throughout the 1990s. He was as dominant as Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were and added hardware as well. Drafted as a  forward, he made the transition to defense during the second half of his career.

For his career, he had 483 goals and 696 assists for 1,179 points in 1,248 games and was a +261. He was spectacular in the playoffs as well, scoring 52 goals and 124 assists for 176 points in 183 games.

He spent 13 years in the Red Wings organization, three with the Columbus Blue Jackets, two in Anaheim with the Ducks, and two with the Washington Capitals.

He was the complete package as he had speed and versatility, could play forward or defense, and excel at both, was one of the hardest shots in the league, and was a threat on special teams.

He would often be a quarterback on the power play as his passing skills were just as effective as his shot location. As one of the first players to defect to the NHL from the Soviet Union, he made the most of his chances and made the opposition pay at every chance he got.

A true game breaker, Fedorov played in six all-star games, twice won the Selke Trophy (1993-94 and 1995-96), and won both the Ted Lindsay award and the Hart trophy during the 1993-94 season. He also won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002).

Fedorov was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 9, 2015, and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2016. Outside of the NHL, Fedorov is still in the game of hockey.

He was a general manager of CSKA Moscow from the 2012-13 season until the 2016-17 season. Fedorov was named the head coach of CSKA on July 14, 2021, and brought the team back from a 3-1 deficit in a seven-game series to win in seven games at the Gagarin Cup.