Brent Burns facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brent Burns
Burns with the San Jose Sharks in April 2016
Born	(1985-03-09) March 9, 1985 (age 40) Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	230 lb (104 kg; 16 st 6 lb)
Position	Defence/right wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Carolina Hurricanes Minnesota Wild San Jose Sharks
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	20th overall, 2003 Minnesota Wild
Playing career	2003–present

Brent Burns (born March 9, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenceman for the Carolina Hurricanes in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was first chosen (drafted) by the Minnesota Wild in 2003 as a right wing. However, when he became a professional player, he changed his position to a defenceman.

Burns is known for his exciting offensive play. Even though he mostly plays defence, he has sometimes played as a forward during his career. For example, during the 2012–13 and 2013–14 NHL seasons, the San Jose Sharks used Burns as a forward. He moved back to defence for the 2014–15 season.

At the end of the 2015–16 season, Burns was one of the top three players considered for the James Norris Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the NHL's best defenceman. The very next year, in 2017, Burns won the award for the first time. He is one of the few active players who started playing in the NHL before the 2004–05 season.

Playing Career

Amateur Hockey Days

Brent Burns was drafted by the Minnesota Wild as the 20th player picked overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the NHL, he played most of his youth hockey for teams like the Barrie Icemen and Ajax Knights. He also spent two years playing in the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

Burns played his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career as a right winger for the Brampton Battalion in the 2002–03 season. He was the top scorer for his team in the playoffs that year. He scored five goals and had six assists in 11 games. Burns was also voted as the runner-up for the Most Improved Player in the OHL by the league's coaches.

Professional Hockey

Time with the Minnesota Wild (2003–2011)

When Burns became a professional player with the Wild in 2003, his coach, Jacques Lemaire, changed his position. He moved from being a winger to a defenceman. Burns played his first NHL game on October 8, 2003, against the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored his first NHL goal in his third game, playing against the Sharks. He played 36 games in his first season, showing his natural talent for rushing the puck from the defensive line.

After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Burns spent time playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Houston Aeros. He became a better defenceman during this time. He then earned a regular spot on the Wild's team for the 2005–06 season. He scored 16 points in 72 games that year.

Burns with the Wild in January 2011

In the 2006–07 season, Burns scored more points than ever before, reaching 25. He became a very important player for the Wild. He even scored two winning goals in overtime during March. In the 2007–08 season, Burns signed a four-year contract extension with the Wild. He became one of their best defencemen, scoring a career-high 15 goals and 43 points.

During the 2008–09 season, Burns sometimes played as a forward and sometimes as a defenceman. He later missed the last 19 games of the season due to a head injury. He finished that season with 27 points. Burns had shoulder surgery after the season ended. He faced another head injury early in the 2009–10 season. He finished that season with 20 points in 47 games. On November 12, 2010, Burns was suspended for two games for hitting a player with his stick.

Years with the San Jose Sharks (2011–2022)

During the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Brent Burns was traded to the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks also received a second-round draft pick in 2012. In return, the Minnesota Wild received Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and a first-round pick in 2011. Burns still had one year left on his contract with the Wild. However, he signed a new five-year contract extension with the Sharks on August 1, 2011. This deal was worth $28.8 million over five years.

Burns with the Sharks in December 2011, during his first season with the team

In 2013, Burns was moved to play as a forward for the Sharks. This happened after the team got a new defenceman, Matt Irwin. Burns did very well as a forward, scoring 20 points in 23 regular season games. In the 2013–14 season, Burns played the first eight games. He then missed 13 games because of a dental issue. On November 21, Burns returned to the Sharks' lineup and scored a goal. On November 29, he scored his first career hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a 6–3 win.

In August 2014, the Sharks announced that Burns would move back to defence. He scored 17 goals and was tied for second among all NHL defencemen with 60 points. Burns also won the NHL Foundation Player Award. This award recognizes players for their amazing charity and community work.

He had an outstanding season in 2015–16, scoring 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists). Then, in the Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 24 games. This helped the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since they joined the NHL in 1991. On November 22, 2016, Burns signed a big eight-year contract extension with the Sharks. This deal was worth $64 million and would keep him with the team until the 2024–25 season.

In 2017, Burns won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman. He was also nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award. This award is given to the league's best player, as voted by the players themselves. He played his 1,000th career game on December 27, 2018. This was a special milestone for him.

Joining the Carolina Hurricanes (2022–present)

Burns with the Hurricanes in October 2022

On July 13, 2022, the Sharks traded Burns and another player, Lane Pederson, to the Carolina Hurricanes. In return, the Sharks received Steven Lorentz, Eetu Mäkiniemi, and a draft pick. On January 29, 2023, Burns played his 1,300th NHL game, showing his long and successful career in the league.

International Play

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Gold	2015 Czech Republic
Silver	2008 Quebec City
Canada Cup / World Cup
Gold	2016 Toronto
World Junior Championships
Silver	2004 Helsinki

Burns was named the best defenceman at the 2008 IIHF World Championship. He helped Canada win a silver medal as the host country. Two years later, at the 2010 IIHF World Championship, Burns played the most ice time among all Canadian defencemen. He was also part of the training camp for Canada's team for the 2010 Winter Olympics, but he did not make the final team. At the 2015 IIHF World Championship, Burns was again named the best defenceman. He was also chosen for the all-star team, as part of Canada's gold medal-winning team.

Personal Life

Burns and his wife, Susan Holder, got married in July 2009. They have three children.

When he's not playing hockey, Burns spends his summers in Barrie, Ontario, and Lake Elmo, Minnesota. He is well-known for loving animals. His home in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is even called "Burns Zoo." This is because he has many dogs, cats, and dozens of reptiles, especially snakes. The "Burns Zoo" was even featured on a TV show called Hockey Night in Canada.

Burns in 2014

Since the 2009 season, Burns has bought a special seating area at the Xcel Energy Center. He uses this area to invite members of the military and their families to watch Minnesota Wild home games.

Burns also owns and runs a ranch in Texas. There, he raises and cares for many different types of exotic animals. These include wildebeest and fallow deer. For his 1000th game, his teammates on the San Jose Sharks bought him two antelopes to add to his animal collection.

Burns also tried acting! He had a small role in two episodes of season 6 of the TV show Vikings. He played an ambitious raider named Skane.

Awards and Honours