Brent Burns is an NHL character of almost mythical proportions – a larger-than-life personality whose accomplishments on the ice including almost everything save a Stanley Cup. The forward-turned D-man is a friend, a mentor, and an example on how to do hockey the right way. He has an eclectic fashion sense, a mysterious oversized backpack, and the biggest hockey smile. He is every hockey fan’s dream of a guy to have on his/her team. That said, Burns’ presence on the ice for the Avs comes with both pros and cons.
So, here's a look at what Colorado Avalanche can expect from the team's newest blue liner.
A Big, Big Man
Burns is a large body on the ice with a 6’5” frame and an arm span to match. His stride can eat up a lot of ice, even though he’s not the fleetest of foot (as shown by on NHL Edge). He uses his size and his reach to shrink the ice for opposing players and removing the puck from their sticks. The difficulty is that Burns is also 40 years old and age-related regression is a thing. He is a few steps slower than in the past, which means that it will be easier for him to be caught out of position and have a harder time recovering. There were many instances last season where he got caught and the team gave up a scoring chance and/or a goal as a result.
Shoot the Puck!
Brent Burns loves to shoot the puck. Last season, according to Natural Stat Trick, he attempted 461 shots, the majority of which came from the right point. He has a big booming slapshot and a decent wrist shot whose purpose is not to score but rather to create opportunities for his forwards to get a tip or rebound to generate high-danger chances close in. The concern is that of those attempted 461 shots on goal, only 174 made it on net. The others were either blocked or missed the net. Some of those blocked and missed shots resulted in zone exits and teams getting the puck heading in the other direction. For him to be effective with the Avs, Burns needs to be more selective with his shots so that he is less predictable and so that other teams are not able to prevent his shots from getting through.
A Doubly Special Teams Specialist
Burns is known for his special teams talents. He has a long history of quarterbacking the power play and anchoring the penalty kill. His skills on both units should help to alleviate many of the minutes that Cale Makar and Devon Toews log every game. The responsibility on his shoulders will be heavier on the penalty kill. It will be interesting to see how his skills translate on the Avs since he will no longer be PKing alongside defensive stalwart Jaccob Slavin. Burns has plenty of skill in his own right, but finding that balance on the other side of the ice will be paramount. Burns’ weakest area in both special teams situations is when he finds himself under pressure. Whether from a forechecker or a defender, if he is pressed into moving the puck quickly, he can often get caught making mental and/or physical mistakes.
Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland noted the following:
"He's a very good penalty killer, and I think that was a big part of the draw."
Despite the various limitations that age has brought to Brent Burns’ game, Avalanche fans should still have a lot of excitement about him joining the team. His experience and leadership alone will bring tons of value both on and off the ice. While it’s good to be optimistic about having him on the roster, it’s important to temper expectations and be realistic about what his play will look like at this stage of his career.
Here’s to the Avs winning a Cup for the bigger-than-life NHL veteran!!!