Brent Burns

Brent Burns (born March 9, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted as a right wing (20th overall) at the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Minnesota Wild, he was converted into a defenceman upon turning professional. Burns is known as a dynamic offensive player, and though he mostly plays defence, he has been utilized as a forward on several occasions during his career. Burns is also known for his iron man streak; during the 2025–26 season, he became the second player in NHL history to play 1,000 consecutive games.

During the shortened 2012–13 season and continuing through the 2013–14 season, the Sharks used Burns as a forward. Starting with the 2014–15 season, he was returned to defence. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Burns finished third in voting for the James Norris Memorial Trophy (awarded to the NHL's best defenceman); one year later, at the end of the 2016–17 season, Burns won the award for the first time in his career.

Following the retirement of Marc-André Fleury, Burns is the last active player in the NHL to have played in the league prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, having debuted in 2003–04.

Playing career

Amateur Burns was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He spent most of his minor hockey career playing for the Barrie Icemen and Ajax Knights of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA). He spent two years playing in the Metropolitan Toronto Hockey league (MTHL), now called the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), for the North York Canadiens, along with fellow NHL draftees Anthony Stewart and Geoff Platt. Burns then played his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career as a right winger with the Brampton Battalion in the 2002–03 season. He led the team in playoff scoring that season with five goals and six assists in 11 games. Burns was runner-up for Most Improved Player in the OHL as voted on by Leagues coaches.

Professional

Minnesota Wild (2003–2011) Upon turning professional with the Wild in 2003, Burns was converted to defence by defensively-minded Minnesota Head Coach Jacques Lemaire. He made his NHL debut with the Wild on October 8, 2003, against the Chicago Blackhawks, and scored his first NHL goal in his third game, against the Sharks. Burns played in 36 games with Minnesota in the 2003–04 season, showing flashes of natural ability in rushing from the blueline.

On October 25, 2007, during the 2007–08 season, Burns signed a four-year contract extension with the Wild. He emerged as one of the Wild's top defencemen, scoring a career-high 15 goals and 43 points.

In the 2008–09 season, Burns was regularly shifted between forward and defence with mild success before he was eventually hampered by a concussion that caused him to miss the final 19 games of the regular season. Burns's concussion was later a point of scrutiny when his agent, Ron Salcer, stipulated that Wild staff had misdiagnosed his symptoms for six weeks with sinusitis, putting Burns at an increased health risk. Burns then had shoulder surgery upon the completion of the Wild season. He finished the injury-marred season with 27 points.

Burns suffered another concussion briefly into his 2009–10 season, beginning to skate again only on January 14. He finished another injury-filled season with 20 points in 47 games. On November 12, 2010, Burns was suspended for two games for hitting Florida Panthers forward Steve Bernier. Burns hit Bernier on the chin with the knob of the stick, causing Bernier to bleed profusely.

San Jose Sharks (2011–2022) During the 2011 NHL entry draft, Burns, along with a 2012 second-round draft pick, was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle and a 2011 first-round pick. With a year still left in his contract with the Wild, Burns signed a five-year contract extension on August 1, 2011, with the Sharks; the deal would pay him $28.8 million over five years, with an average salary cap figure of $5.76 million.

In 2013, after rookie defenceman Matt Irwin's acquisition by the Sharks, in March, Burns was moved to forward, where he scored 20 points in 23 regular season games.

In the 2013–14 season, Burns played the first eight games of the season, but missed 13 games after October 21 due to sore gums. On November 21, Burns returned to the Sharks' line-up and scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5–1 winning effort. On November 29, against the St. Louis Blues, Burns recorded his first career hat-trick in a 6–3 victory.

In August 2014, the Sharks announced that Burns would move back to defence where he scored 17 goals and finished tied for second among NHL defencemen with 60 points. Burns also won the NHL Foundation Player Award for outstanding charitable and community work.

He had a breakout season in 2015–16, finishing with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists), then had 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 24 games during the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs to help the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.

In 2017, Burns won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman. He was also nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, awarded annually to the league's best player as voted by the National Hockey League Players' Association.

He played in his 1,000th career game on December 27, 2018, in a 4–2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

Carolina Hurricanes (2022–2025) On July 13, 2022, the Sharks traded Burns and Lane Pederson to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Steven Lorentz, goaltending prospect Eetu Mäkiniemi, and a 2023 third-round pick. On January 29, 2023, Burns played his 1,300th NHL game.

Colorado Avalanche (2025–present) On July 3, 2025, Burns signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche. On October 11, 2025, Burns played his 1,500th NHL game, becoming the 23rd player to reach the milestone. During a January 31, 2026, game against the Detroit Red Wings, Burns scored the 270th goal of his career, tying Bobby Orr for eighth in goals by defencemen all-time. On March 14, Burns played in his 990th consecutive game in the regular season, putting him in second place all-time, after Phil Kessel. He played his 1,000th consecutive game on April 4, as the Avalanche won 2–0 against the Dallas Stars. On June 26, 2026, Burns signed a one-year extension with Colorado, returning for his 23rd NHL season.

International play

Burns was named the best defenceman at the 2008 World Championship as he helped Canada to a silver medal finish as the host country. Two years later, at the 2010 World Championship, Burns led all Canadian defencemen in ice time at 18:29 minutes per game as Canada finished in seventh place. He was also part of the summer camp roster for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics, though he did not make the final roster. At the 2015 World Championship Burns was again named the best defenceman, and a member of the all-star team, as part of Canada's gold medal-winning team.

Personal life Burns and his wife, Susan Holder, married in July 2009 and have three children.

Off the ice, Burns spends his summers in Barrie, Ontario, and Lake Elmo, Minnesota, and is a noted animal enthusiast. His suburban Saint Paul home is nicknamed "Burns Zoo" due to his collection of dogs, cats, and dozens of reptiles, mainly snakes. Burns Zoo was featured in a CBC Hockey Night in Canada segment with Elliotte Friedman and on After Hours.

Starting in the 2009 season, Burns purchased a suite at the Xcel Energy Center for members of the military and their families to attend Minnesota Wild home games.

Burns also owns and operates a ranch in Texas where he raises and maintains many species of exotic animals, including wildebeest, fallow deer, and more. For his 1000th game, his fellow San Jose Sharks teammates bought him two antelopes to add to his animal collection.

Burns made his acting debut in a two-episode role during season 6 of Vikings, portraying an ambitious raider named Skane.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2001–02 Couchiching Terriers OPJHL 46 4 7 11 16 — — — — — 2002–03 Brampton Battalion OHL 68 15 25 40 14 11 5 6 11 6 2003–04 Minnesota Wild NHL 36 1 5 6 12 — — — — — 2003–04 Houston Aeros AHL 1 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 2004–05 Houston Aeros AHL 73 11 16 27 57 5 0 0 0 4 2005–06 Minnesota Wild NHL 72 4 12 16 32 — — — — — 2006–07 Minnesota Wild NHL 77 7 18 25 26 5 0 1 1 14 2007–08 Minnesota Wild NHL 82 15 28 43 80 6 0 2 2 6 2008–09 Minnesota Wild NHL 59 8 19 27 45 — — — — — 2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL 47 3 17 20 32 — — — — — 2010–11 Minnesota Wild NHL 80 17 29 46 98 — — — — — 2011–12 San Jose Sharks NHL 81 11 26 37 34 5 1 1 2 4 2012–13 San Jose Sharks NHL 30 9 11 20 20 11 2 2 4 8 2013–14 San Jose Sharks NHL 69 22 26 48 34 7 2 1 3 23 2014–15 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 17 43 60 65 — — — — — 2015–16 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 27 48 75 53 24 7 17 24 12 2016–17 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 29 47 76 40 6 0 3 3 6 2017–18 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 12 55 67 46 10 3 4 7 6 2018–19 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 16 67 83 34 20 5 11 16 6 2019–20 San Jose Sharks NHL 70 12 33 45 34 — — — — — 2020–21 San Jose Sharks NHL 56 7 22 29 36 — — — — — 2021–22 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 10 44 54 42 — — — — — 2022–23 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 82 18 43 61 44 15 2 7 9 20 2023–24 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 82 10 33 43 20 11 1 3 4 2 2024–25 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 82 6 23 29 28 15 1 4 5 10 2025–26 Colorado Avalanche NHL 82 12 23 35 32 13 0 4 4 6 NHL totals 1,579 273 672 945 887 148 24 60 84 123

International

Awards and honours Award YearNHL NHL All-Star Game 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 NHL Foundation Player Award 2015 Second All-Star Team 2016 First All-Star Team 2017, 2019 James Norris Memorial Trophy 2017International WC Best Defenceman 2008, 2015 WC All-Star team 2015