Case in point: Burns got hurt earlier this season. Like, actually hurt. Not just a “nicked up” situation.
The Colorado Avalanche kept it private because that’s what NHL teams do with sensitive information whenever they can. And Burns kept on playing, because that’s what he does.
“Our medical guys were like, ‘This is a couple weeks injury,’ ” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He was like, ‘I’m playing next game.’ That’s just his mentality.”
Burns, who turned 41 years old Monday, played in his 989th consecutive game Thursday night, helping the Avs roll past the Seattle Kraken. That ties Keith Yandle for the second-longest ironman streak in NHL history.
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Barring something unforeseen, Burns will play in game No. 990 in a row Saturday night in Winnipeg, which will be tops among defensemen. He’ll hit the 1,000 mark on April 4 in Dallas. And he’ll finish this season with the streak at 1,007 games — 57 shy of Phil Kessel’s record.
“The first thing I think of is you’re jinxing it,” Avs star Nathan MacKinnon said ahead of No. 989 at Climate Pledge Arena. “It’s amazing. I think a big part of it is he’s got such joy every day. He’s a happy person. He’s come to the rink with a great attitude every single day at 40, 41 — however old he is. It’s such an amazing accomplishment. That’s over a decade straight of hockey. It’s amazing and hopefully he keeps it going.”
‘He still acts like he is 15’
As of Thursday night, there were 7,866 forwards and defensemen with at least one NHL game played. Just 5.5 percent of them — 433 — have reached 989 career games under any circumstances.
Burns has done it without missing a single one.
“It’s impressive,” Avs forward Martin Necas said. “He takes care of his body better than anyone else. He still acts like he is 15, so nothing changes in his mind. But obviously, his body ages and he takes care of it really well. He’s a warrior.”
This streak is just part of what is a no-doubt, first-ballot Hall of Fame career. Burns has won the Norris Trophy, the World Cup of Hockey, the IIHF World Championships and the NHL Foundation Player Award for his charitable work.
He is one of the very few who switched positions at the NHL level, and has been a great player at both forward and on defense. There have also been a few characters like him in the history of the sport.
