RALEIGH, N.C. — While NHL free agency began Wednesday, the Carolina Hurricanes used a big trade to fill one of its biggest voids.
The Canes acquired defenseman Brent Burns, a former Norris Trophy winner, from the San Jose Sharks.
The Canes, who also received forward Lane Pederson in the deal, sent forward Steven Lorentz, goalie prospect Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional 2023 third-round draft pick to San Jose.
Burns, 37, has three years remaining on his contract with an average annual payout of $8 million. The Sharks will retain 34% of the salary, Carolina announced, reducing Burns’ annual pay from the Canes to $5.28 million.
“We had a need to address and we felt absolutely the best option out there we went after and pursued,” Canes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a Wednesday press conference. “We believe adding him brings us closer to our goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”
While looking to add Burns, the Canes had center Vincent Trocheck leave in free agency, reportedly accepting a seven-year deal with the New York Rangers that pays $5.625 million a season.
Forward Nino Niederreiter, another of the Canes’ unrestricted free agents, remained unsigned. Waddell said the Canes had contacted Niederreiter and his agent on Wednesday but there was “nothing to report.”
Waddell said the Canes continued to work on “multiple deals” and hoped to add a top-six forward, preferably a winger, either through free agency or with another trade.
Burns, 37, could move into the Canes’ top defensive pairing with Jaccob Slavin and quarterback the top power-play unit, taking over the role filled the past two seasons by Dougie Hamilton and then Tony DeAngelo.
Hamilton left after the 2021 season to sign a free-agent pact with New Jersey, and the Canes dealt DeAngelo to the Philadelphia Flyers last week after being unable to agree on a new contract.
News of a potential Burns trade surfaced before the start of free agency at noon on Wednesday.
A few of the Canes’ other unrestricted free agents quickly signed with other teams — defenseman Ian Cole going to Tampa Bay on one-year, $3 million deal and Brendan Smith to the New Jersey Devils on a two-year, $2.2 million deal.
Forward Max Domi, obtained at the trade deadline last season by the Canes, reportedly signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Trocheck, in moving to the Rangers, joins a team that knocked the Hurricanes out of the Stanley Cup playoffs this past season. His reported seven-year contract likely was longer term that the Canes were willing to offer.
Burns has been durable and productive, playing every game the past eight seasons. The right-shot D-man has played 82 games in six seasons — the 2021 season was condensed to 56 games and the 2020 season to 70 for the Sharks because of the pandemic.
“He’s a fitness guru,” Waddell said. “You always look at age but everybody ages differently. He has played a lot of minutes and been very durable through his career. We think he’s got at least three more good years in him.”
Burns, who had a career-high 83 points in 2018-19, finished with 10 goals and 44 assists (54 points) last season for the Sharks.
Burns won the 2017 Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman after being the first D-man in 20 years to post back-to-back 75-point seasons. He was the runner-up to Mark Giordano in 2018-19.
At 6-5 and 237 pounds, with his full beard, Burns can present an imposing presence. If there’s a question, it’s if Burns at 37 will be a good fit for the Canes’ fast-paced attack.
A native of Barrie, Ontario, Burns was a first-round draft pick by Minnesota in 2003 — drafted as a winger but quickly shifted to D-man — and spent part of seven seasons with the Wild. He was traded to the Sharks during the 2011 NHL draft.
Burns signed an eight-year, $64 million contract with the Sharks in November 2016, and had a modified no-trade clause.
Pederson, 24, has played 44 NHL games with Arizona and San Jose. The 6-foot, 192-pound center has been in 205 career AHL games and will add depth at center for the Hurricanes.
