DENVER (AP) — Brent Burns has the impressive Ironman streak — 925 straight games and counting — the majestic beard and the individual accolades.
All that's missing from his potential Hall of Fame career is that Stanley Cup title. This could be his last chance. The 40-year-old agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche that includes up to $3 million more in performance bonus.
He's trying to follow the script of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who spent most of his career with Boston only to join the Avalanche late in his career and hoist the Cup in 2001 before skating off into retirement.
“There’s still something to chase, so I’m still super-motivated for that," Burns said Thursday in a Zoom call. "There’s one big goal still.”
He joins a stacked Colorado team that includes fellow Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Cale Makar and one of the league's top scorers in Nathan MacKinnon. Burns figures to add another layer of leadership to a team that just got back captain Gabriel Landeskog after he missed nearly three years in his recovery from a serious knee injury.
“You’re around guys that are chasing one goal and there’s just something special about it — all the laughs and the working hard together,” Burns said. “It’s really special to try to build something together, and I just enjoy that process."
The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Burns could be partnered on the blue line with Sam Malinski, who was around 5 years old when Burns broke into the league. What number Burns may wear on his jersey remains in the air. The numbers he's donned over his NHL career are taken — No. 8 is worn by Makar and No. 88 by Martin Necas, who was his teammate in Carolina. Burns is leaning toward No. 84, “but I don't know if it's set in stone yet,” he said.
Burns won the league's award for the top defenseman in 2017. He joins another Norris winner in Makar, who was the award's most recent recipient and also won it in 2022, when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup.
“He's obviously just insanely talented,” Burns said of Makar. “The things he can do — there’s not many, if any, people in the world that can do it. So I’m really excited to get to see it in person every day and see how he ticks, and how he thinks about the game.”
Burns is still getting major ice time even as he’s about to enter his 22nd NHL season. He averaged nearly 21 minutes a game for the Hurricanes last season. He had six goals and 23 assists.
What’s more, he’s played in 925 straight games, which is the fourth-longest “Iron Man” streak in NHL history and longest currently going.
A first-round pick by Minnesota in 2003, Burns played seven seasons with the Wild before being dealt to San Jose in 2011. He spent the past three seasons in Carolina.
Over 1,497 regular-season games, he’s scored 261 goals and dished out 649 assists.
He’s led all NHL defensemen in points (2016-17, 18-19), assists (18-19) and goals (15-16, 16-17) for a season over his career.
Burns is set to become the 23rd player in NHL history to skate in at least 22 seasons.
“That’s a big part for me. It’s something I really want to do. It’s definitely not easy,” Burns said. "I think it’s a special group here. ... Whatever they ask of me, that’s what I want to do. That’s all that I’m really looking at right now is that’s what I want to do.”
The one piece missing from his lengthy career is that Stanley Cup. He reached the final with the Sharks in 2016, where they lost to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
In 135 postseason games, Burns has 24 goals and 56 assists while averaging just over 24 minutes on the ice.
“I just want to come in and join the group, fit in,” Burns said. “I want to bring some energy, bring some fun, some experience."
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Pat Graham, The Associated Press
