The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Brent Burns on a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season.
Burns, 40, registered 29 points (6g/23a) and averaged 20:57 of time on ice per game over 82 contests with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024-25, and added five points (1g/4a) over 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games. In the regular season, Burns ranked second among Hurricanes defensemen in assists and points, while checking in tied for third in goals. The 82-game campaign marked the 11th straight the blueliner dressed in every possible game, and he enters 2025-26 with the fourth-longest “Iron Man” streak of all time by playing in 925 consecutive games.
A native of Barrie, Ontario, Burns has accumulated 910 points (261g/649a) over 1,497 career regular-season games – the eighth-most all-time by a defenseman – with the Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild from 2003-25. In 21 NHL seasons, Burns has produced six campaigns of 60-plus points, surpassed 70 points three times and topped out with a career-high 83 points (16g/67a) in 2018-19 with San Jose. The defenseman also has three different 20-goal seasons to his name (2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17), recording as many as 29 in 2016-17. He’s led NHL defensemen in points (2016-17 and 2018-19), assists (2018-19) and goals (2015-16 and 2016-17) at least once over the course of his career.
The 6-foot-5, 228-pound defenseman took home the 2016-17 James Norris Memorial Trophy after collecting 76 points (29g/47a) and averaging 24:52 of time on ice per game. He paced all defensemen in goals and points while leading all skaters with 320 shots on goal. The defenseman also finished fourth in Hart Memorial Trophy voting and was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award that season. Burns was also a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2015-16 and 2018-19. Additional accolades include twice being named to the NHL Postseason First All-Star Team (2016-17 and 2018-19), Second All-Star Team nods in 2015-16, competing in six All-Star Games (2010-11, 2014-19) and the 2014-15 NHL Foundation Player Award winner for outstanding charitable work in the community.
In postseason play, Burns has registered 80 points (24g/56a) and logged an average of 24:13 time on ice over 135 career games. Among active defensemen, Burns paces that cohort in goals and ranks in the top-10 in points (T-5th), assists (T-7th), power-play goals (8, T-5th) and shots in goal (406, 2nd). At 30 years old, Burns averaged a point per game in the 2015-16 Stanley Cup Playoffs (7g/17a) with San Jose en route to leading the circuit in postseason goals, assists and points among rear guards.
Burns was traded to the Hurricanes on July 13, 2022 after spending his previous 11 seasons with the Sharks. He racked up 594 points (172g/422a) in San Jose from 2011-22 and remains the franchise’s all-time leader in goals and assists among defensemen. After his four seasons of 165 total points from 2011-15, Burns inked his first career 70-point campaign in 2015-16 (27g/48a) and then had his 24-point playoff run in 2016 to help San Jose reach the Stanley Cup Final for the only time in franchise history. The Sharks qualified for the playoffs in seven of Burns’ 11 seasons with the club and is the team record-holder for both career goals (39) and assists (59) by a defenseman.
Originally drafted in the first round (20th overall) by Minnesota, Burns played seven seasons with the Wild from 2003-11 prior to being traded to San Jose on June 24, 2011. He accumulated 183 points (55g/128a) over 453 regular-season games in Minnesota.
On the international stage, Burns captured gold playing for Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, his lone “Best-on-Best” international tournament he’s competed in. He also took home gold at the 2015 IIHF World Championship where he was teammates with Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon. Burns also owns two silver medals, one that he won at the 2008 World Championship and one at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Burns spent the lockout 2004-05 season with the AHL’s Houston Aeros and posted 27 points (11g/16a) and appeared in one AHL game the season prior. The right-shot rear guard skated one season for the OHL’s Brampton Battalion in 2002-03 and earned a spot on. The OHL’s First All-Rookie Team.