Every franchise has a handful of players that they can't believe played for them at some point. Whether they were a multi-time award winner or one of the greatest ever to play the game, everyone has players they're shocked ever made it to them. For me, one of those players for the Carolina Hurricanes was Brent Burns.
Drafted as a forward by the Minnesota Wild in 2003, Burns made the change to defense in 2006. From there, he has become one of the most prolific offensive defensemen in league history. Burns broke 40 points twice during his seven seasons with the Wild, earning an All-Star nod in 2011 while posting a career high 17 goals and 46 points.
Burns became a household name after being traded to the San Jose Sharks in 2011. His list of accomplishments is impressive. Burns was named to five All-Star teams, was a three-time finalist for the Norris Trophy, and he won the award in 2017 while finishing 4th for the Hart Trophy. He's in the Top 10 in Sharks history in games, goals, assists, and points in both the regular season and postseason.
With three years remaining on his eight-year deal and needing cap space, the Sharks moved Burns to Carolina. Along with forward Lane Pederson and a third of his cap retained, the Sharks sent him to Raleigh for fan favorite forward Steven Lorentz, goalie prospect Eetu Makiniemi, and a 2023 3rd-round pick, which would be the lowest of Carolina's or Philadelphia's selections the following summer.
The Sharks' return hasn't yielded much positive for them (yet)
As the roster player in the return, Lorentz only spent one season with the Sharks. In 80 games, he secured his first season with double-digit goals and set a career high with 19 points. Lorentz was traded to Florida for Anthony Duclair after the season, winning a Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024. He signed and played last season with Toronto, tying his career-high in points with 19.
Makiniemi made his NHL debut with the Sharks on December 7, 2022, relieving Kaapo Kahkonen and suffering an OT loss to Vancouver. He made his first start two days later, stopping 23 shots in a 6-1 win over the Ducks. Makiniemi spent most of his time in the AHL. He left San Jose and signed with the Flyers last season, making five appearances for Lehigh Valley. He will play in Finland this season.
The Sharks received the 94th pick in the 2023 Draft but made another swap with the Canes, trading up to the 71st pick to select forward Brandon Svoboda. While not in the team's Top 10 prospects, Svoboda has promise. The Boston Terrier performed well for the U.S. at last year's World Juniors, scoring six points in seven games for the gold medalists, including a goal in the Gold Medal game.
Pederson never played for the Hurricanes. He was traded three months later, with Ethan Bear, to the Canucks for a 2023 5th-round pick. The Canes selected defenseman Charles-Alexis Legault with the pick. He spent his first professional season last year with the Chicago Wolves, posting 14 points in 63 games. Legault will likely be invited to training camp and will be a big part of the Wolves' defense.
Burns' first season with Hurricanes set records, but regression followed
It felt automatic that Burns would be paired with Jaccob Slavin once he became a Hurricane. Tony DeAngelo had just been traded a few weeks prior after an excellent offensive season, so this felt like a natural pairing. It would prove profitable as Burns tied the single-season franchise record for goals by a defenseman (18) and smashed DeAngelo's points record by 10 with 61 points.
After nine points in the playoffs and a 10th-place finish for the Norris Trophy, regression started to rear its ugly head. While he scored 10 goals and topped 40 points again, it was a significant downgrade from the previous season. He only added four points in the playoffs. It would only get tougher from there.
At 39 years old, slowing down and lightening the load would feel like a given. Not for Burns, who continued to play top-pair minutes with Slavin last season. His numbers continued to fall, posting the worst per-game numbers since his early days with the Wild. Many, myself included, felt a change was needed, but it appeared at times that Burns' Iron-Man Streak took priority.
As one of the oldest active players, Burns is still chasing the ultimate prize in hockey. He hasn't won the Stanley Cup, and this season he'll try to do it with the Colorado Avalanche after signing a one-year deal. It's unclear whether this is Burns's last season, so you know he'll be doing everything he can to get the job done. Colorado has a history of helping veteran defensemen win it all.
Three years after the trade, it's safe to say this was an easy victory for the Hurricanes. To nab a player with Burns' pedigree for very little and sizable retention is insane. While it didn't lead to the Hurricanes getting over the hump, it showed the ownership was willing to go after big targets to help the cause. Hosting a potential Hall of Famer for three seasons is a cool feeling.