Sharks’ Burns building a Norris-worthy profile

Blueliner gets job done at both ends of rink

TORONTO • The San Jose Sharks can keep the puck out of their own net. Now they’d like to bury it in someone else’s with more consistency.

One player is without question getting the job done at both ends of the rink and if Brent Burns can keep up the pace, he might finally get his name on the Norris Trophy.

Burns looked like he was ready to hitchhike along the Trans-Canada Highway as he departed the visitors’ lockerroom at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday morning lugging a massive camouflage knapsack while sporting his trademark mountain-man beard.

Instead, he was being counted on to lead the way once again as the Stanley Cup finalists kicked off a four-game road trip in Toronto.

So far, all Burns has done this season is everything. Prior to puck drop, the 31-year-old Barrie, Ont., native led the team in scoring (12 goals, 25 points), ice time (24:11 per game), blocked shots (54) and shots on goal. His 120 shots through 38 games were 10 more than anyone else in the National Hockey League has taken. Did we mention he’s a defenceman? The shots total is almost baffling. By comparison, forward Joe Thornton has registered 27 through the same number of games and Burns’ defence partner, Paul Martin, entered Tuesday’s play with 21 shots.

“I think he had a Norristype season last year, too. It’s not just this year,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said.

Burns, who will go headto-head against another Norris candidate, two-time winner Erik Karlsson, on Wednesday night in Ottawa, is on pace to finish with huge offensive numbers on the heels of a career-high 75-point campaign last season.

But perhaps more impressive has been his increased defensive responsibility, something the Sharks have honed in on as a whole in recent weeks, leading to a 7-3 record in their previous 10 games heading into Tuesday night.

At least some of the credit goes to Martin, the veteran defender who signed with the Sharks prior to the 2015 season, providing a stable presence that might have eluded Burns a few years ago as he transitioned back to the blue line following an experiment at forward and was paired with then-rookie Mirco Mueller. Defenceman Brent Burns is off to another strong start offensively, and his defensive game has also improved.