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Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns (84) smiles at his teammates at the end of the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Chicago.<\/p>\n
Erin Hooley\/AP<\/p>\n
Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) passes the puck against Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns (84) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Washington.<\/p>\n
Nick Wass\/AP<\/p>\n
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns, left, drives past Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg in the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Denver.<\/p>\n
David Zalubowski\/AP<\/p>\n
DENVER (AP) \u2014 Brent Burns took a wayward stick to the face while playing for San Jose in October 2013 that ended up costing him teeth and time on the ice.<\/p>\n
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Since his return \u2014 Nov. 21, 2013, to be precise \u2014 he’s been a permanent fixture in every lineup. Burns, now 41 years old and with the Colorado Avalanche, is set to play in his 1,000th straight regular-season game Saturday at Dallas.<\/p>\n
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The bearded blueliner has skated through the bumps and bruises that come with delivering checks and deflecting slap shots. So much so that Avalanche coach Jared Bednar can\u2019t wait to one day sit down with Burns and discuss all the ailments that may have kept many a player sidelined for days, weeks and maybe even months.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe plays through them like it\u2019s not a big deal,\u201d said Bednar, whose team currently owns the NHL’s top seed with eight games remaining, including the pivotal contest with the Stars (six points back). \u201c(The streak) is an incredible accomplishment. It\u2019s hard to believe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burns still going strong at 41<\/p>\n
Burns, who turned 41 on March 9, joined the Avalanche on a one-year deal this season to chase the only thing missing from his resume \u2014 a Stanley Cup title.<\/p>\n
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He’s become another leader\/mentor on the Avalanche. He still chips in goals, too, on a high-scoring team that boasts Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas. Burns has 11 tallies this season, joining Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom as the only defensemen in league history to notch double-digit goals at 40 or older.<\/p>\n
But Burns’ specialty remains putting his 6-foot-5, 228-pound frame to good use on opponents who venture into his territory. That\u2019s what makes his streak so remarkable \u2014 all the punishment he dishes out and takes. He\u2019s closing in on the all-time ironman streak held by forward Phil Kessel, who played in 1,064 consecutive regular-season games from Nov. 3, 2009, to April 13, 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s the same guy that we’ve been watching for a decade-plus, doing the exact thing,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cTo have guys with these ironman streaks get to a certain point … that\u2019s an unbelievable career and accomplishment just to get that as a player total, never mind in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Respect for the streak<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a streak Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog fully appreciates. Landeskog missed three full regular seasons after helping the Avalanche to the 2022 Stanley Cup title because of a lingering knee injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes to the rink with a great attitude,” Landeskog explained. “He wants to be here. He\u2019s excited to come to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burns also arrives to the rink lugging around his military-style backpack that\u2019s stuffed with everything necessary to keep him on skates. There\u2019s a cloud of mystery surrounding the precise contents of the heavy pack, though. Whatever it may contain \u2014 rumors of recovery gear to his own coffee setup \u2014 there’s no denying it’s become a healing elixir. Burns is in his 22nd NHL season and about to play in his 1,572nd career contest Saturday. The 2016-17 Norris Trophy winner is still averaging nearly 19 minutes a game and has 83 blocked shots this season.<\/p>\n
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The streak certainly impresses goaltender Scott Wedgewood.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my position alone, you\u2019ll do something one game and your hip locks up a little bit,\u201d Wedgewood said. \u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Thank God, I\u2019m not playing the next one. It feels like crap right now.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThat happens 15 times a year, just on me, let alone taking body checks and slap shots. Playing as much as he does now at that age, keeping that body fresh and everything? He probably wouldn\u2019t be the one to tell you, but he\u2019s probably played through thousands of different nuances.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burns starts streak on Nov. 21, 2013<\/p>\n
Burns made his NHL debut on Oct. 8, 2003, with Minnesota after being a first-round pick by the Wild. He spent seven seasons with Minnesota, 11 in San Jose and three more in Carolina before joining Colorado.<\/p>\n
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His lone appearance in the Stanley Cup final was in 2016 with the Sharks, where they lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Burns has played in 135 career playoff contests.<\/p>\n
His current games streak started Nov. 21, 2013 \u2014 he played right wing that season \u2014 when he returned from his injury and promptly scored a goal. In his 999th straight game Wednesday against Vancouver, he delivered a goal and an assist to become the fifth different defensemen to notch a 30-point season while in their 40s.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just ridiculous,\u201d Makar said of the streak before suffering an upper-body injury Monday against Calgary that will keep him out a few games. \u201cFor him to be able to go out there every night and make an impact, and not just float around and do the minimum, is pretty spectacular, especially at his age.\u201d<\/p>\n
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