Brent Burns becomes second NHLer to play 1,000 consecutive games

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns made more NHL history on Saturday when he became the second player in NHL history to play 1,000 consecutive games, joining Phil Kessel.

In March, Burns skated in his 990th consecutive game, moving him past Keith Yandle and into second-place for the longest iron man streak in NHL history.

Burns’ phenomenal streak runs through his stints with three different teams, mostly with the San Jose Sharks, with which the streak began back on November 21, 2013.

The 2014-15 campaign sparked a stretch of five in a row with the Sharks that saw Burns garner votes for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. He finished third for the honor in 2015-16 before winning it in 2016-17 with a 76-point effort.

By the time he was done in the Bay Area, Burns had established himself as one of the best players in Sharks history, as he helped take the team to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, and he ranks fifth in franchise history with 594 points during his time in teal.

“[Burns] gets so much joy coming to the rink,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan, who coached Burns for several years in San Jose, told NHL.com of his former star. “He loves hockey. He loves being around the guys… Even when he’s tired, he’s got more energy than everybody else.”

As San Jose neared a rebuild, the Sharks dealt Burns to another contender in the Carolina Hurricanes. Burns spent three seasons in Raleigh, reaching two Eastern Conference Finals, earning an all-star nod and finishing 10th in Norris voting during his tenure with the Hurricanes.

“At the end of the day, it’s about being a pro and being accountable,” Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour told NHL.com. “He was all of that. He didn’t just show up; he prepared.”

Last July, Burns hit the market as an unrestricted free agent and found a home on yet another top-tier Stanley Cup contender with the Avs.

That decision has afforded him the opportunity to chase the one thing that has eluded him throughout his career, the Stanley Cup. Colorado is on a glide path to the Presidents’ Trophy, and the 2022 Cup champions look ready to take another serious run at it.