This summer, Jason Newland and I will continue our series looking at potential free agent targets who could be available on July 1.
Today, we’re looking at Brent Burns.
Target: Brent Burns – RD – 21 Years Experience
Burns is one of the most beloved players in the NHL. Any team would love to have someone like him in the locker room. And if he doesn’t decide to hang up the skates at the end of this season, it feels like a safe bet that the Columbus Blue Jackets will be making a call to his camp.
GM Don Waddell was the one who brought Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2022. So, why wouldn’t he try to bring him to Columbus if the opportunity presents itself?
Stats
Burns has definitely slowed down at age 40, but he’s still shown he can contribute. This season, he played all 82 games and posted six goals and 23 assists for 29 points. In his career, he’s appeared in 1,497 games, scoring 261 goals and 649 assists for a total of 910 points.
Previous Salary
He’s finishing up the final year of the eight-year deal he signed back in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks, which carries an $8 million AAV. Contract projections suggest Burns will likely be looking at a one-year deal with an AAV somewhere around $5.3 million.
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Realistic Chances of a Signing: Warm
This one’s a bit of a toss-up. On one hand, Waddell has history with Burns and the fit in Columbus makes a lot of sense. The Blue Jackets are young and still learning how to win. Adding a 21-year NHL veteran to that room—even just for one season—would be ideal from a leadership standpoint.
On the other hand, if Burns doesn’t win a Cup with Carolina this season, he may want to chase one elsewhere. That’s understandable. He’s had a long career and is still missing that one big prize. And with his ranch in Texas, you’d have to think the Dallas Stars could be a tempting landing spot if he’s willing to sign cheap and take one more run at it.
Either way, it feels safe to say Waddell will make the call to Burns and his agent to see what the interest level is. From there, it’s just a matter of what Burns wants at this stage of his career.
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