Aarif Deen
Brent Burns is 40 years old, but it’s not going to stop him from being a contributor for the Avalanche.
After all, this is a player who has spent the last two years of his career with the Stanley Cup hopeful Carolina Hurricanes. He ran their power play, he played over 20 minutes per game, and he was a key penalty kill contributor.
And he did it at a towering 6’5, 230 lbs as a right-shot defenseman lining up for one of the league’s more analytics-driven teams.
Now, he’s on his way to Colorado to make a $1 million base salary with games-played bonuses that could reach $3 million in additional pay.
Finding the right fit for him in the lineup is something that’s not yet figured out. Not even on paper.
Use promo code Deen10 for 25% off an annual subscription to all CHN+ content
Read More: With Ehlers Reportedly in Sight, Avalanche Smartly Play the Waiting Game
Burns is a fitness fanatic — a large part of the reason why his career has spanned 21 years. With Marc-Andre Fleury on his way to retirement, Burns is the last remaining player who dressed in an NHL game before the 2004-05 lockout. His fourth career game was against Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and the 2003-04 Avalanche.
He’s done it all. He won Gold Medals for Team Canada, he’s a Norris Trophy winner, a two-time NHL First Team All Star, He’s nearly reached 30 goals on multiple occasions, he’s had over 80 points in a single season from the blueline, he’s played over 1,400 games of which 925 are the current active Iron Man streak in the NHL. He’s even played forward for a short stint.
He’s done everything and there is to accomplish in this league.
Everything except for winning the Stanley Cup. And that’s why he made Colorado his next destination.
At 40 years old, most players would be labeled a locker room darling. They’d be the healthy scratch who’s there to lift younger teammates. But Burns is not only going to be that. And there’s so much to consider with this signing that raises far more questions than answers as the offseason continues to unfold.
Cale Makar is Colorado’s top dog. We know that. He’s the NHL’s best defenseman, and he’s the righty on the Avs’ top pair. There’s also Sam Malinski — a solid third-pair option who just signed a one-year prove-it deal that walks him to unrestricted free agency. The Avs made sure to lock him up before the madness of July began because they believe in him and see him as a key piece of their 18-man roster.
Read More: Deen’s Daily: Quiet July 1 For the Avalanche; Marner Happy in Vegas; Blues Make Desperation Deal
That leaves Josh Manson. Playing on Colorado’s second pair, Manson, also a righty, has been a consistent force for Jared Bednar’s club when he’s in the lineup. The problem is, he’s missed a lot of hockey.
Since signing a four-year deal coming out of the 2022 Stanley Cup championship run, Manson has missed 95 regular-season games. He averages only 50 games per year for the Avs. Could Burns, who is a more reliable defenseman that doesn’t miss games, be the new replacement for Manson?
If so, what are the Avalanche planning to do with No. 42? Manson has value and would be a welcoming addition to any team, especially the ones looking for help on the right side. He also has a 12-team no trade list, which shouldn’t be an issue.
The thing is, Manson was solid in the playoffs. He was arguably Colorado’s most consistent blueliner against the Dallas Stars, and even scored the opening goal of Game 7 shorthanded. It would be hard to lose a guy like that, but it’s hard to find any other way to explain the Burns signing.
Burns isn’t joining the Avs to be a No. 7 defenseman that gets in and out of the lineup. He’s not Jack Johnson or Calvin de Haan.
I don’t think for a moment that the team had a change of heart with Malinski. So Manson seems like the one they’d move to make it all fit.
But it also raises another question. Who would Burns play with? The Avalanche currently have Devon Toews, Samuel Girard, and Keaton Middleton as options on the left. It’s a rare case where they have a surplus of RHD while other teams are in need of them.
Is Girard still someone they want to trade? Or would they line him up alongside Burns? If that’s the case, is that enough of a change to a blueline that Chris MacFarland admitted he’s like to re-shape?
Let’s say Girard doesn’t get traded. And let’s say he plays with Malinski on the third pair. Who does that leave for Burns to play with? MacFarland mentioned the need to add a lefty, and would need to dangle Manson and perhaps other assets as trade bait to accomplish that.
These are all things that likely will be answered soon.