Brent Burns still has top-pairing potential
At age 40, longtime defenseman Brent Burns still has plenty to offer a new team if he chooses to hit the market again. Plenty of people might think his next contract will be earned off his name and pedigree alone, but Burns has been a big contributor on the Carolina Hurricanes blueline this year.
Burns is not the Norris winner he once was, nor can he produce at the same rate offensively. But in signing him, you get a sturdy D-man who is still capable of skating 20-plus minutes per game on the top pairing. He's played solid minutes on Carolina's penalty kill as well, which was the best in the NHL during the regular season.
He may not rack up the points like he used to, but Burns can move the puck as efficiently as ever. He finished the year with the second-most rush attempts among all defensemen at 5v5, behind Norris Trophy candidate Zach Werenski -- not bad company. With a Corsi-for of 57.8%, the Hurricanes dominate puck possession when Burns is on the ice.
Brent Burns just steamrolled Ovechkin 💥 pic.twitter.com/gJs3niAhAJ
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 10, 2025
Burns is coming off of a massive eight-year, $8 million AAV deal originally signed with the Sharks, and he will definitely see a big pay cut on his next contract. It's expected to be somewhere around $5 million for a one-year deal.
That's really not a bad price for a consistent 20-minute guy that makes the skaters around him better. For any team needing a reliable defenseman on a short-term basis in order to make a run for the playoffs next season, Burns is a perfect fit and will have no trouble getting a new contract this summer.