Over the past three seasons, according to Natural Stat Trick, Cale Makar has averaged the second-most ice time per game among all NHL skaters with 25 minutes and 33 seconds per game. Devon Toews is thirteenth with an average of 24 minutes and 21 seconds per game. With this upcoming season including the added games for the Winter Olympics, it is going to be imperative that the Colorado Avalanche and head coach Jared Bednar not overextend their two star defensemen and have them worn out and/or injury-prone at the start of the playoffs. That is where Brent Burns can step in and step up to help shave some time off of their totals.
On the Penalty Kill
The biggest way that Burns can help take minutes off of Makar’s plate is to take over his role on the penalty kill. According to HockeyViz, Makar averaged over two minutes on the PK last season. This would mean that he would work with Toews, which would be ideal because Toews plays the man disadvantage very similarly to the way Jaccob Slavin did when he and Burns worked so well together. It would be an easy transition for Burns and would help improve the top PK unit.
Makar is a solid penalty killer but Burns, with his size and reach, is better at protecting the front of the net and preventing seam passes from getting through. Burns taking over for Makar would then give Bednar the option of sitting Makar or of using him on the second unit. Being out on the second unit could give Makar more opportunities to strike against the second power play unit shorthanded.
On the Power Play
Obviously, Makar will remain the quarterback on the Avs top power play unit and continue to log many minutes on the man-advantage. However, with his experience as a top power play contributor, Burns can step in on the second unit in place of Toews and shave some time off of his plate. According to HockeyViz, Toews averaged just over a minute of power play time per game. By taking over the PP2 quarterback spot, Burns would bring his experience and his big shot to give that second unit a different look and some added punch.
At Even Strength
The biggest question for Burns is what his role will be at even strength. On 5v5, Makar and Toews will continue to work their magic together, so the question becomes whether Burns moves up to the second line along Sam Girard or anchors the third line with Sam Malinski. Either way, it will be imperative for the defensive pairing that he is on to be effective at both ends of the ice so that Bednar does not feel like he needs to lean so heavily on his top pair. Even taking just a minute off of their ice time per game could pay huge dividends in the long run.
Put together, it is reasonable that the presence of Brent Burns could result in two to three minutes less ice time each for Cale Makar and Devon Toews. Fewer minutes not only would help them stay fresher throughout the season, but it means that they can channel more energy into the minutes that they do have. Two to three more high-leverage plays per game would increase the productivity of the time that they are out there. Then, once the playoffs begin, they will be primed and ready to take on any extra minutes needed of them because Brent Burns was there to lighten the load along the way.