Avalanche's offseason addition could be the game-changing puzzle piece they've been missing all along
Photo credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP
Veteran defenseman Brent Burns could unexpectedly emerge as a key player for the Colorado Avalanche, potentially playing a much bigger role than many predicted as the team gears up for the next NHL season.
Burns may prove to have a surprising increase in offensive production compared to previous years.
Brent Burns could be a complete game-changer for the Avalanche next season.
Graham Tiedtke from Mile High Sticking reports that it is very likely we experience a resurgence in the 40 year old Burns' offensive output this season.
The Avalanche's need for more offensive depth scoring is undeniable. They can't depend solely on their top two lines to produce goals, which could lead to head coach Jared Bednar to slot Burns into a role where he has thrived in the past.
"We have discussed in the past about Burns' Ironman-like career, as he's played a full 82-game season a remarkable 10 times in his career. Maybe Burns still has some juice in his game to be able to put up double-digit goals in 2025-26.
If that appears to happen-if he goes on a tear at some point-perhaps head coach Jared Bednar decides that he can be put into either a bigger defensive role or even a fourth-line wing role." -Tiedtke
If that appears to happen-if he goes on a tear at some point-perhaps head coach Jared Bednar decides that he can be put into either a bigger defensive role or even a fourth-line wing role." -Tiedtke
Something that not everyone might be aware of is that Burns actually started his NHL career as a forward. According to his Hockey Reference Page, he's listed as a right wing in three of his 21 NHL seasons.
These stints were also not all with the same team either, he played right wing for the Minnesota Wild his rookie year in 2003 and again in 2005 before spending the next seven seasons on defense with the Wild and the Sharks following that.
Over his career, Burns has reached double-digit goals in 13 out of his 21 seasons. Lining him up with someone like Parker Kelly could give the team a blend of grit and offensive touch.
This could offer a potential spark to help boost the scoring output from the bottom lines.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 8 | 30 ANSWERS Avalanche's offseason addition could be the game-changing puzzle piece they've been missing all along Will Brent Burns add some depth to Colorado's offense? | ||
| Yes | 26 | 86.7 % |
| No | 4 | 13.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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