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Brent Burns blocks shot with his neck and avoids severe injury

Originally posted on Hockey Unplugged | By Axel Williams | Last updated Oct 20, 2024 5:49 PM ET

Brent Burns has been an awesome leader for the Carolina Hurricanes and there is no doubt that his teammates love the effort that he puts forward every single weekend.

He is someone who is always looking to block shots and make sure that he keeps goals out of the back of the net. For years now, Burns has been one of the best defensemen in the league and he will likely continue to have that status even as he gets closer and closer to retirement age.

Having said that, last night, Burns had a very close call with the puck. While playing against the St. Louis Blues, Pavel Buchnevic took a shot that ended up hitting Burns right in the neck.

Luckily for Burns, he turned away as the shot was coming so the shot hit the side of his neck as opposed to the front. Had the puck hit his Adam's apple, he could have crushed a windpipe which would have been a very severe injury. Needless to say, Burns was a bit lucky.

These are the kinds of plays that are quite common in the NHL, especially when guys are out here putting their bodies on the line. They do it for their teams, and it is certainly admirable. We hope that Burns is able to stay healthy going forward. Putting your body out there does come with its fair share of risks.

This article first appeared on Hockey Unplugged and was syndicated with permission.

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