Burns racking up points, notice for Norris
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.
So far, all the Sharks defenceman has done this season is everything. Before Tuesday night’s game in Toronto against the Maple Leafs, the 31-year-old native of Barrie, Ont., 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 NHL.
Did we mention he’s a defenceman? By comparison, Sharks forward Joe Thornton has registered 27.
“I think he had a Norris-type season last year, too. It’s not just this year,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said.
Burns, who will go head-to-head against another Norris candidate in two-time winner Erik Karlsson on Wednesday night in Ottawa, is on pace to finish with huge offensive numbers on the heels of last season’s career-high 75-point campaign. But perhaps more impressive is his increased defensive responsibility.
At least some of the credit goes to Paul Martin, the veteran defender who signed with the Sharks before 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.
“There’s no doubt Paul Martin has helped his game. But I think he’s matured, too, in his game,” DeBoer said.
As for that showdown with Karlsson? Surely Burns will have the Norris Trophy on his mind in some capacity.
“The one-on-one comparisons are for you guys to do. I’m sure human nature-wise, you always want to see how you measure up,” DeBoer said. “For us, we want to try to stay away from that game.”