There isn’t a more polarizing figure on the San Jose Sharks than the man that is Brent Burns. The debates will always rage on whether he should be a forward or a defenseman, but there is no denying the offensive talents Burns possesses.
It’s because of those said talents that Burns will be making his third overall All-Star appearance in Nashville this weekend, and for the second consecutive season he will represent the Sharks.
The 6-foot-5 defenseman plays the game in a very hectic, but effective manner depending on which end of the ice he’s on. While his erratic style can cause him problems in the defensive zone, the freedom to play offensively is what makes him such a headache for opposing teams.
Burns is second on San Jose, behind fellow All-Star Joe Pavelski, with 43 points, while leading the league in goals by a blue liner with 18 and ranking second in points behind only Erik Karlsson. Also, Burns is a shot-generating machine as his 205 shots on goal rank him second in the NHL behind Alex Ovechkin, and more than 50 shots more than the next defenseman in this category.
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Basically, if Burns can find enough time and space to get the puck off, it’s heading towards the net.
But it isn’t just his shot that makes Burns such a dangerous weapon offensively. His size and skating ability make him very hard to contain when he gets going as evidenced by this great goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this month.
Scoring first is the 🔑 pic.twitter.com/6sCtmCwhq6
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) January 10, 2016
Burns is an electrifying player that puts you on the edge of your seat, but sometimes that works against him. He is known to wander in the defensive zone and lose sight of his responsibilities which is why he sports the third-worst plus/minus rating on the Sharks at minus-nine.
However, the ability to create an offensive chance at any moment and fuel the rush is one reason Peter DeBoer keeps Burns on the ice. He is on pace for the most ice time of his career, as he is currently averaging 26:16 per night, almost three minutes more than Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
You can definitely make the case that Vlasic should be leaned on more heavily, but Burns’ offensive exploits are undeniable.
Next: Joe Pavelski All-Star Primer
While there will always be trepidation with Burns on the blue line, he still remains one of the most exciting players to watch for San Jose. They’ve never had a talent quite like Burns, and he fits in perfectly with the attitude and identity of this team.
Sharks fans, and the rest of the hockey world, should be able to see Burns’ talents shine through this All-Star weekend as he will be perfect in the new format. Expect to see plenty of “The Beard” flying around the ice in Nashville, just as he’s been doing all season long in San Jose.