Brent Burns

Brent Burns (born March 9, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the
Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted as a right wing (20th
Brent Burns
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.

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);[1] one year later, at the end of the 2016–17 season,
Burns won the award for the first time in his career.[2]
Burns with the San Jose Sharks in April 2016
Burns is the last active skater in the NHL to have played in the league prior to the 2004–05 NHL
lockout, having debuted in 2003–04, and is one of two active players overall (alongside Marc- Born March 9, 1985
André Fleury). Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 230 lb (104 kg; 16 st 6 lb)
Playing career Position Defence/right wing
Shoots Right
NHL team Carolina Hurricanes
Amateur Former teams Minnesota Wild
Burns was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry San Jose Sharks
Draft. He spent most of his minor hockey career playing for the Barrie Icemen and Ajax Knights
National team Canada
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 NHL draft 20th overall, 2003
(GTHL), for the North York Canadiens, along with fellow NHL draftees Anthony Stewart and Minnesota Wild

Geoff Platt. Burns then played his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career as a right winger with Playing career 2003–present
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.[3]

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.[4] Burns played in 36 games with Minnesota in the 2003–04 season, showing flashes of natural ability in rushing from the
blueline.[5]

After spending the 2004–05 NHL lock-out in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Houston Aeros, Burns adapted as a defenceman and
earned a regular spot on the Wild roster for the 2005–06 season, contributing 16 points in 72 games.

In the 2006–07 season, Burns eclipsed his previous season's points total with 25 and became a significant
force for the Wild in the latter months of the season, scoring back-to-back overtime winners in March and
engaging in two fights during the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs.[6]

On October 25, 2007, during the 2007–08 season, Burns signed a four-year contract extension with the
Wild.[7] 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
Burns with the Wild in January 2011 he was eventually hampered by a concussion that caused him to miss the final 19 games of the regular
season.[8] 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.[9] Burns then had shoulder surgery upon the completion of the Wild season.[10] 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.[11] 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 second-round draft pick in 2012, was traded to the San Jose
Sharks in exchange for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle and a first-round pick in 2011.[12] 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.[13]

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.[14]

In the 2013–14 season, Burns played the first eight games of the season, but missed 13 games after October 21 due Burns with the Sharks in
December 2011, during his
to sore gums.[15][16] On November 21, Burns returned to the Sharks' line-up and scored a goal against the Tampa
first season with the team
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.[17]

In August 2014, the Sharks announced that Burns would move back to defence[18] 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.[19]

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 Stanley Cup
Playoff games to help the Sharks reach the Final for the first time since entering the NHL in 1991.[4]

On November 22, 2016, Burns signed an eight-year $64 million contract extension with the Sharks through 2024–25, with an average annual value
of $8 million per year.[20]

In 2017, Burns won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman.[21] 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.[22]

Carolina Hurricanes (2022–present)

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 third-round selection in the 2023 NHL
Entry Draft.[23] On January 29, 2023, Burns played his 1,300th NHL game.[24]
Burns with the Hurricanes in
October 2022

International play
Burns was named the best defenceman at the 2008 World Championships as he helped Canada to
a silver medal finish as the host country.[5] Two years later, at the 2010 World Championships, Medal record
Burns led all Canadian defencemen in ice time at 18:29 minutes per game as Canada finished in Ice hockey
seventh place.[25] He was also part of the summer camp roster for Canada in the 2010 Winter
Representing Canada
Olympics, though he did not make the final roster cut. At the 2015 World Championships Burns
World Championships
was again named the best defenceman, and a member of the all-star team, as part of Canada's
gold medal-winning team.[26] 2015 Czech Republic
2008 Quebec City
Canada Cup / World Cup
Personal life 2016 Toronto

Burns and his wife, Susan Holder, married in July 2009 and have three children.[27] World Junior Championships
2004 Helsinki
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.[28] Burns Zoo was subject of a CBC Hockey Night in Canada feature 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.[29]

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.[30] For his 1000th game, his fellow San Jose Sharks teammates bought him two antelopes to add to his animal collection.[31]

Burns made his acting debut with a 2-episodes role in season 6 of Vikings as an ambitious raider named Skane.[32]
Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Burns in 2014

Regular season Playoffs

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
NHL totals 1,415 255 626 881 827 120 23 52 75 107

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Canada WJC 6 0 6 6 20
2008 Canada WC 9 3 6 9 16
2010 Canada WC 7th 7 0 5 5 12
2011 Canada WC 5th 7 2 2 4 8
2015 Canada WC 10 2 9 11 2
2016 Canada WCH 6 0 3 3 6
Junior totals 6 0 6 6 20
Senior totals 39 7 25 32 44
Awards and honours

Award Year
NHL

NHL All-Star Game 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

NHL Foundation Player Award 2015

NHL Second All Star Team 2016

NHL First All Star Team 2017, 2019

James Norris Memorial Trophy 2017

International

WC Best Defenceman 2008, 2015

WC All-Star team 2015

References
1. "2015–16 NHL Awards Voting" (https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/voting-2016.html). Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved
September 2, 2016.
2. "Sharks' defenseman makes history at NHL Awards show" (http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/21/sharks-defenseman-makes-
history-at-nhl-awards-show/). San Jose Mercury News. June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
3. "Minnesota Wild Make Forward Brent Burns Available to Canada's National Junior Team" (http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/
ci_id/10904/la_id/1.htm). hockeycanada.ca. December 10, 2003. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
4. "Brent Burns Stats and News" (https://www.nhl.com/player/brent-burns-8470613). National Hockey League. Retrieved
November 14, 2018.
5. "Dont forget about the Wilds' Burns" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090411114733/http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/25112
-THNcom-Blog-Dont-forget-about-Wilds-Burns.html). thehockeynews.com. April 7, 2009. Archived from the original (http://www.the
hockeynews.com/articles/25112-THNcom-Blog-Dont-forget-about-Wilds-Burns.html) on April 11, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
6. "Brent Burns, Wild thing" (http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/11689166.html). Star Tribune. September 15, 2007. Retrieved
June 23, 2009.
7. "Wild signs Brent Burns to four-year extension" (https://web.archive.org/web/20071027145404/http://wild.nhl.com/team/app/?servi
ce=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=341205). National Hockey League. October 25, 2007. Archived from the original (http://wild.
nhl.com/team/app?articleid=341205&page=NewsPage&service=page) on October 27, 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
8. "Concussion keeps frustrated Burns off ice" (http://www.startribune.com/sports/42715842.html). Star Tribune. April 9, 2009.
Retrieved June 23, 2009.
9. "Agent: Playing Burns was health risk" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090421095853/http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/4318
8787.html?page=1&c=y). Star Tribune. April 17, 2009. Archived from the original (http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/4318878
7.html?page=1&c=y) on April 21, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
10. "Wild's Brent Burns hospitalized overnight after surgery" (https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/wild-s-brent-burns-hospitalized-overnig
ht-after-surgery-1.846084?ref=rss). Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. April 23, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
11. "Sports News, Opinion, Scores, Schedules | TSN" (http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=20491.html).
12. "Sharks Acquire Brent Burns from Wild" (http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567124&navid=DL). sharks.nhl.com.
13. "Sharks sign defenceman Burns to five-year extension" (https://web.archive.org/web/20131203013843/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/stor
y/?id=372984). TSN. August 1, 2011. Archived from the original (http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=372984) on December 3, 2013.
Retrieved August 1, 2011.
14. Dubow, Josh (May 11, 2013). "Sharks rely on rookie D Matt Irwin" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130610075614/http://sports.yah
oo.com/news/sharks-rely-rookie-d-matt-210845191--nhl.html). Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original (https://sports.yahoo.com/
news/sharks-rely-rookie-d-matt-210845191--nhl.html) on June 10, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
15. Stubits, Brian (October 21, 2013). "Brent Burns to miss Monday game in Detroit with sore gums" (http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/ey
e-on-hockey/24116874/brent-burns-to-miss-monday-game-in-detroit-with-sore-gums). CBS Sports. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
16. Pashelka, Curtis (November 19, 2013). "Sharks' Brent Burns could return this week" (http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_2455
6275/sharks-brent-burns-could-return-this-week). San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
17. McKeon, Ross (November 29, 2013). "Sharks 6, Blues 3" (https://sports.yahoo.com/news/sharks-6-blues-3-235719285--nhl.html).
Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
18. Gilmore, Eric (August 29, 2014). "Sharks hope Burns' return to defense goes smoothly" (https://www.nhl.com/news/sharks-hope-b
urns-return-to-defense-goes-smoothly/c-729221). National Hockey League. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
19. Relations, NHL (June 24, 2015). "Sharks' Burns receives NHL Foundation Player Award" (https://www.nhl.com/news/sharks-burns-
receives-nhl-foundation-player-award/c-772054). National Hockey League. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
20. "Brent Burns signs 8-year contract with Sharks" (https://www.nhl.com/news/brent-burns-signs-eight-year-contract-with-sharks/c-28
3989968). National Hockey League. November 22, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
21. Gackle, Paul | Bay Area News (November 30, 2017) [November 30, 2017]. "The coach who led Brent Burns to the Norris Trophy"
(https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/11/30/the-coach-who-led-brent-burns-to-the-norris-trophy/). The Mercury News. Archived (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/20210119042822/https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/11/30/the-coach-who-led-brent-burns-to-the-norri
s-trophy/) from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
22. "Sharks Defenseman Brent Burns Plays in His 1,000th Career NHL Game" (https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/sharks-defenseman-
brent-burns-plays-in-his-1000th-career-nhl-game/c-303281208). National Hockey League. December 27, 2018. Retrieved
December 27, 2018.
23. "Burns traded to Hurricanes by Sharks" (https://www.nhl.com/news/brent-burns-traded-to-carolina-hurricanes-by-san-jose-sharks/c
-334962982). National Hockey League. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
24. Dusterberg, Kurt (January 29, 2023). "Hurricanes ease past Bruins, extend winning streak to 5" (https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-
bruins-carolina-hurricanes-game-recap/c-340358318). NHL.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
25. "CAN – Canada" (https://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/230/IHM2300CAN_83_9_0.pdf) (PDF). IIHF. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0120610144933/http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/230/IHM2300CAN_83_9_0.pdf) (PDF) from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved
May 22, 2010.
26. "Burns Named Best Defenseman at IIHF Worlds" (http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=768053). San Jose Sharks News. San
Jose Sharks. May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
27. "Brent Burns' wife Susan Holder was his longtime Girlfriend" (https://www.playersgf.com/2017/09/brent-burns-wife-susan-holder-w
as-his-girlfriend.html). PlayersGF.com – Girlfriend, Wife, Wags & Boyfriend Photo. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
28. "Wildlife increasingly part of life at 'Burns Zoo' " (https://web.archive.org/web/20100429103324/http://www.startribune.com/sports/w
ild/17406959.html). Star Tribune. April 9, 2008. Archived from the original (http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/17406959.html)
on April 29, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
29. "Burns ready to return to his old form" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090923030536/http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/59288
577.html). Star Tribune. September 14, 2009. Archived from the original (http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/59288577.html) on
September 23, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
30. "Of course Brent Burns bought a ranch in Texas this summer" (https://www.bardown.com/of-course-brent-burns-bought-a-ranch-in-
texas-this-summer-1.1167724). Bardown. September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
31. "Pair of antelope among Brent Burns' epic 1000th game gift haul" (https://canadanewsmedia.ca/2019/01/13/pair-of-antelope-amon
g-brent-burns-epic-1000th-game-gift-haul-yahoo-sports/). Canada News Media.
32. "Born for the part? Brent Burns describes his cameo appearance in "Vikings" " (https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/12/31/brent-b
urns-describes-his-cameo-appearance-in-vikings/). January 2021.

External links
Media related to Brent Burns at Wikimedia Commons
Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com (https://www.nhl.com/player/8470613), or Eliteprospects.com (http://w
ww.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=9103&lang=en), or Eurohockey.com (http://www.eurohockey.com/player/491765-.html),
or Hockey-Reference.com (https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/b/burnsbr01.html), or The Internet Hockey Database (http://
www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=71733)
Brent Burns (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6593251/) at IMDb

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