Colorado Avalanche's Brent Burns in Race Against Clock to Win Stanley Cup
When it comes to active players who have not won a cup yet in their careers, one name that's mentioned a ton is Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns. At 41 years old, Burns is still clawing his way to winning his first Stanley Cup.
After missing out with the San Jose Sharks and the Carolina Hurricanes, is the 2026-27 season the time for him to achieve the ultimate goal? Are the Avalanche good enough to get "Burnsy" on the Cup at long last?
Avalanches' Burns-ing Desire to Win it All Again
The Avalanche, this upcoming season, are looking to redeem themselves after falling short of the Stanley Cup Final last season and could face a tighter Central Division battle. That said, are they capable of getting over the finish line once again as they did in 2022?
As of right now, they are in a "win now" situation with their roster, which will be the fourth-oldest in the NHL this upcoming season. Regarding Burns, he is 41 years old and will be entering his 23rd season. Over the last five seasons, he has played all 82 games in a season, putting him at 1,579 for his career.
During the 2025-26 season, Burns had 12 goals, 35 points, and was a plus-33. He had five game-winning goals for the Avalanche during the season and saw around 18:53 of ice time. It was the first time since the 2013-14 season that he averaged less than 20 minutes a game.
Back on June 26, Burns signed a one-year, $850,000 deal to return to the Avalanche for a second season. A little less than the $1 million deal that he signed the previous summer before the 2025-26 season. While it is less money, it did provide the Avalanche with the room to make more moves.
That said, will Burns once again see third-pairing minutes, along with some power-play time? It seems to be that way as of right now at the back end of July. However, things can change, at least on the special teams side of things. As far as pairings, it makes sense to see him on the third pair.
For Burns, this season could be make-or-break once again to get his name on the Stanley Cup. After falling short in the Western Conference Final last season, following a President's Trophy year for the Avalanche, there is no margin for error now. The upcoming 2026-27 season could most likely be the best chance to get his name on the toughest trophy to win in sports.
It'll be interesting to see how things play out for Burns and the Avalanche this season. Will he make it six straight seasons playing every game, especially with it being 84 games now? Can the Avalanche get over the hump after being swept last postseason? There will be many questions that need to be answered this season.
When it comes down to it, the hope for Burns is that the Avalanche get the job done and get his name immortalized on the Stanley Cup. Only time will tell, though.
Zach Martin is originally from Northeast Ohio, but has resided in South Carolina since 2016. He has been a credentialed hockey writer with The Hockey Writers since 2023 as the Carolina Hurricanes beat writer, where he has written player profiles, storylines, game recaps, general pieces and more. Zach had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Stanley Cup Final as credentialed media covering the Carolina Hurricanes. He's written about ESPN's Mike Monaco, along with player exclusives over the last couple of years. Zach has also covered games for the World Juniors, IIHF World Championships, and the 2026 Winter Olympics. He has also covered the Colorado Avalanche and some other NHL teams at large over his time with THW.