Brent Burns has been indelible from Sharks hockey for the past decade, but Wednesday marked the end of an era as the defenseman was shipped to Carolina alongside forward Lane Pederson for Steven Lorentz, prospect goalie Eetu Makiniemi, and a conditional third-rounder.
In addition, the Sharks will retain 33 percent of Burns' $8 million salary.
Per Pierre LeBrun, despite Burns' no-move clause in his contract, he could be dealt to the Hurricanes without permission. The Stars, another team on that list, had also expressed interest.
Burns played 11 seasons with the Sharks, and had 54 points in 2021 with 44 assists. He brings a Norris Trophy and three All-Star appearances -- all with San Jose -- to the fold.
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Full Sharks Hurricanes trade details
Hurricanes get: D Brent Burns, F Lane Pederson, contract relief for Burns
Sharks get: C Steven Lorentz, G Eetu Makiniemi (prospect), conditional 2023 third-round pick
The move gives the Sharks some more flexibility in free agency, as despite retaining some of the cap hit of Burns it does provide some relief. The Sharks have missed the playoffs in each of the past three years, after a decent four-year run.
For the Hurricanes, it adds a seasoned defenseman and a young talent in Pederson. While the return for both teams may seem somewhat light, this move was as much about salary as anything else for both sides.
