Brent Burns can finally afford a razor blade.
Brent Burns signs 8-year, $64 million extension with San Jose Sharks
One dollar for every hair on his face.
Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images
The bearded defenseman wonder put pen to paper on a contract extension with the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, signing an eight-year deal. ESPN reporter Pierre LeBrun reported that Burns will earn $64 million over the life of the contract.
That reported salary would make Burns the fifth-highest earner per year for a defenseman behind Shea Weber of the Canadiens, P.K. Subban of the Predators, Ryan Suter of the Wild, and Brent Seabrook of the Blackhawks. Only 30 players in the league, across all positions, make at least $8 million per year.
And Burns is worth it. The 31-year-old was drafted as a winger by the Wild in 2003 before converting to defenseman and coming into his own with the Sharks in 2011. Burns finished in the top 10 in overall shots and points for a defenseman the last two seasons, and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2016. His offensive ability as a defenseman is second only to Erik Karlsson in the league, so a massive new contract like this was only a matter of time.
With Burns locked up, the Sharks’ two remaining big free agency decisions are whether to re-sign franchise legends Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Both are nearing the end of their careers and both have strong cases for the Hall of Fame.
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