22 games into the 2025-26 season, the Colorado Avalanche are the NHL’s wagon as they’re 16-1-5 and are showing no signs of slowing down. They’re currently on a nine-game winning streak, a 13-game point streak, and have points in 21 of 22 games. Jared Bednar’s team up and down the lineup are getting contributions in what seems to be a full team effort, whether they are bringing their A-game or not. One player in particular who is finding his stride during this winning streak is defenseman Brent Burns.
Burns Finding His Stride
After three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, Burns signed on July 1 with the Avalanche to a one-year, $1 million deal. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2025-26 season. The current deal that he’s on with the Avalanche is being viewed as a low-risk, medium to high-reward. Burns has shown this season that there is still some left in the tank, even in a new role in Denver under Bednar. He is currently on a 939-game iron-man streak at the age of 40.
Burns, in 22 games, has two goals and 11 points, ranking him tied for eighth on the team. He is also a plus-6, putting him 10th on the team with former Hurricanes teammate Jack Drury. He’s been averaging 20:01 of time on ice (TOI) while being on the second defensive pairing with Josh Manson. He scored 16 seconds into the game on Nov. 22 against the Nashville Predators, as he tallied his second game-winning goal of the season.
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Burns is having a slight bounce-back season with the Avalanche early on, as he is already four points away from tying his goal total from last season (six). Furthermore, he is 18 points away from tying his 29 with the Hurricanes as well. His 4.5 shooting percentage (S%) is also at least a slight improvement from the 3.4 S%. When it comes to his shot speed, it is slightly down compared to seasons past. This season, his max shot speed is 91.33 miles per hour (MPH), putting him in the 70th percentile. The NHL average is 87.52 MPH. However, his average shot speed (70.94 MPH) is in the 83rd percentile, while the NHL average is 67.84 MPH.
When discussing his footwork, mainly speed, this is where Father Time has settled in, but Burns is making it work within his role for the Avalanche. Burns has maxed out at 21.44 MPH, putting him in the 55th percentile, with the average being 21.34 MPH. In terms of skating distance, his total miles are 64.28 (77th percentile). The NHL average is 44.31. When glancing at average miles skated, Burns has averaged 8.76 (73rd percentile), compared to the NHL’s 8.52.
Another thing to consider for Burns is how Bednar has been using him in all three zones of the ice. Compared to time in the defensive zone, Burns is in the 67th percentile with a 39.3%. In terms of the neutral zone (18.3%) and the offensive zone (42.4%), that puts him in the 73rd and 63rd percentile. The NHL average in all three zones is 40.4%, 17.8%, and 41.8%. When looking back at his role with the Hurricanes, compared to what it is now with the Avalanche, Burns has been able to be effective on the second pairing instead of the top pairing.
What makes it interesting when looking at Burns’ numbers is that he is doing all of this while playing only at 5-on-5. Burns is not on the power play or the penalty kill; he has mainly played at even strength, which seems to help Burns stay fresher for the Avalanche during games because of not having to skate in different situations.
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During his last season with the Hurricanes, Burns’ goals-for percentage (GF%) was 50.4%, while his expected goals-for percentage (xGF%) was 55%. Compared to the Avalanche, where he is at 56.3% GF and 60% xGF, there have been some signs of improvement in being effective on the ice when they have the puck. The only slight decline is the Corsi for percentage (CF%), where he was 58% with the Hurricanes, compared to 56% with the Avalanche.
Either way, Burns has been able to continue his offensive game in a different system with the Avalanche compared to the Hurricanes. Going from the Hurricanes’ defensive style to the run-and-gun, fast-paced style of the Avalanche, Burns has held his own. While he won’t get near his 61-point 2022-23 season with the Hurricanes, he has been a solid addition to the Avalanche on the second pairing. More so, his cap hit is only $1 million, giving the Avalanche the flexibility to add guys come the trade deadline. While the Avalanche are currently winning games regularly, Burns has settled in nicely in Denver, within his new role under Bednar.
