Brent Burns has reached a significant milestone in his NHL career by surpassing Bobby Orr in goals scored by a defenseman. This achievement took place during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, where Burns netted his 271st career goal.
Brent Burns Surpasses Bobby Orr in NHL Defensemen Goals
The goal, which occurred with 5:39 left in the first period, came from a powerful shot taken from the blue line. It found its way past Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs, assisted by Gavin Brindley and Josh Manson.
Milestone Achievement
With this goal, Burns now stands in seventh place for the most career goals by an NHL defenseman. The ranking illustrates his longevity in the game, as he achieved this milestone in 1,563 games, while Orr accomplished his in just 657 games.
Current Rankings of Defensemen Goals
- Ray Bourque – 410 goals
- Paul Coffey – 396 goals
- Al MacInnis – 340 goals
- Phil Housley – 338 goals
- Denis Potvin – 310 goals
- Larry Murphy – 288 goals
- Brent Burns – 271 goals
- Bobby Orr – 270 goals
Career Overview
Burns, selected in the first round by the Minnesota Wild in 2003, won the Norris Trophy in 2017. He was also a finalist for the award in 2016 and 2019. With 271 goals, he has scored 47 more than any other defenseman since entering the league, including 172 during his time with the San Jose Sharks.
This goal marked Burns’ 10th goal of the current season and the 14th time he has reached double-digit goals in his 22-year NHL career. His impressive offensive performance has solidified his reputation as one of the league’s top offensive defensemen.
Points Total and Streaks
Burns has accumulated 937 career points, ranking him 11th all-time among defensemen. He is just 12 points shy of surpassing Chris Chelios to break into the top 10.
Moreover, Burns is currently chasing Phil Kessel’s record for the longest consecutive games played. He is at 990 games and needs to continue his streak into the next season to surpass Kessel’s record of 1,064 games.
