NHL Notebook: Brent Burns signs one-year deal with Avalanche for his 22nd season

Burns, 40,  spent his 2024-25 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he scored six goals and 29 points in 82 games. He also played the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons with the Hurricanes after departing from the San Jose Sharks after 11 long seasons.

The right-shot defenceman was drafted 20th overall in the 2003 draft by the Minnesota Wild. Burns started his career as a forward, playing the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons as a right winger, along with the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. 

For his 21-season career, Burns has 261 goals and 910 points, winning the Norris Trophy in 2016-17 after scoring 29 goals. The only thing he’s missing from his mantle is a Stanley Cup. Perhaps the 2026 season with the Avalanche will be his year.

Burns, along with Corey Perry and potentially Ryan Suter if he finds a home, are the only active players selected in the 2003 draft. Of course, the timeless Jaromír Jágr (drafted in the 1990 draft) may come back for a 38th season in Czechia.

In other sports, only LeBron James and Toronto Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer are still active from their respective 2003 draft. Rich Hill, selected in the 1999 draft (as well as the 2001 and 2002 drafts), is also active, albeit in the minor leagues.

Anthony Beauvillier signs two-year extension

On Thursday, the Washington Capitals announced that they’ve re-signed forward Anthony Beauvillier to a two-year deal worth $2.75 million annually.

Beauvillier split his time between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Capitals in 2024-25, scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 81 games, along with two goals and six points in 10 post-season games. The Penguins and Capitals were Beauvillier’s fifth and sixth teams in his career.

Drafted 28th overall in the 2015 draft, the forward has played for the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Penguins, and Capitals, amassing 131 goals and 27 points in 631 games.

Sharks were busy on Thursday

The Sharks made two moves to their defence core on Thursday. They signed left-shot defenceman Dmitry Orlov to a two-year contract worth $6.5 million annually. Additionally, the Sharks claimed Nick Leddy off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.

Orlov, who was teammates with Brent Burns on the Hurricanes, scored six goals and 28 points in 76 games last season. He played just two seasons with the Hurricanes, amassing 12 goals and 54 points. 

Aside from 23 games with the Boston Bruins after the 2022-23 trade deadline, Orlov spent the bulk of his career with the Capitals, where he played 686 games with 60 goals and 256 points. He won a Stanley Cup with them in 2018.

Leddy also has his name on the Stanley Cup, winning it with the Blackhawks in 2013. He spent four seasons with the Blackhawks, seven with the Islanders, half a season with the Detroit Red Wings, and parts of four seasons with the Blues.

Last season with the Blues, Leddy scored two goals and five points, but only played 31 games. In his last full season, Leddy scored three goals and 28 points in 82 games. For the Blues, they’ll free up $4 million in cap space, as Leddy’s in the final year of his four-year deal.