Wild All Time Top 10: #8-Brent Burns

Brent Burns

Seasons With The Wild: 7

Goals: 55

Assists: 128

Points: 183

Brent Burns checks in as the only defenseman on this list. It took him a few seasons (Rotating back and forth between forward and defenseman), but he finally broke through as the big scoring d-man the Wild needed, in 07-08 when he notched 15 goals and 28 assists. In the combined 3 seasons prior to 07-08, Burns notched 12 goals and 35 assists.

Burns had injury riddled seasons in 08-09 (8-19-27 in 59 games) and 09-10 (3-17-20 in 47 games), but still had decent numbers in those seasons before bouncing back in 2010-11 with 17 goals and 29 assists, while once again anchoring the Wild's top d-man unit.

Burns was also a big physical presence (6'5", 225 pounds), and was not shy to throw his body around. In fact in 2 seasons (07-08, 10-11), he registered over 80 minutes in the penalty box, but more of that was due to his sometimes poor play in the defensive end, rather than his physical play.

There aren't many other defenseman who can even come close to cracking this list (Nick Schultz, Filip Kuba, Marek Zidlicky?). But Burns was the only one out of the bunch who stood out. 

Luckily for us, the Wild were smart to trade Burns while his value was high and he was traded at the 2011 NHL Draft in St. Paul for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and the 28th overall pick (Zack Phillips). So not only was Burns good for us when he played for us, he is still doing wonders for us now that he is gone. 

By all means isn't the best defenseman ever. But he did enough to crack this top 10 list, despite the injuries taking his best seasons away.

Check back tomorrow to see who comes in at #7!

#8-Brent Burns

#9-Pavol Demitra

#10-Dwayne Roloson/Manny Fernandez

Follow Giles on twitter @gilesferrell

A Few Good Notes

• Last night's game between the Wild and Avalanche was obviously the team's worst performance of the season. Just a completely lifeless effort. It seems to me like the players just don't care anymore.
• As Nate (First Round Bust) tweeted last night, Mike Yeo has lost this team. I completely agree with him. Yeo sounds like a defeated man in his post game pressers nightly now. Hopefully, next year can be a different case for Yeo.
• If there is one good thing from this disastrous finish to the season, it is that the Wild continue to hike up the order in the NHL draft. Right now the Wild carry the 6th worst record in the league and by the end of tonight, they could have the 4th worst record. And with the Wild's upcoming schedule, they could drop even lower than that (Phoenix, Dallas, Vancouver, Rangers, Panthers, Kings, and Blackhawks are notable teams on the remaining schedule).
• With the way Josh Harding has been playing lately, it would be hard to believe he would be back next year.
• Marek Zidlicky has 0 points and is a -2 in 6 games since being traded to New Jersey. Thanks Devils for the 2nd and 3rd (Conditional) round draft picks!
• I have not been impressed with Tom Gilbert (0 points, -4 rating in 5 games) since coming over to the Wild in exchange for Nick Schultz. I hope his play gets better, otherwise Edmonton will be the big winner in that trade.

I will be at the MN State High School hockey tournament the next three days, so I will not have any posts (Unless something catastrophic happens...very doubtful) probably until Monday. Give me a follow on twitter (@gilesferrell) for my thoughts on the Wild and all things hockey during that time.

Purely A Hockey Move

Yesterday, Wild GM Chuck Fletcher sent shockwaves through the organization and the State of Hockey, when he traded the one of the team's leaders and longest tenured player in Nick Schultz. Schultz was shipped to Edmonton for defenseman Tom Gilbert, a graduate of Bloomington Jefferson High School.

This move was met with immediate shock. As Russo pointed out, the Wild locker room was in silence just minutes following their practice yesterday, as word got out that Schultz, the franchise leader in games played (743), had been moved. It was a move that you had to read multiple times, to make sure you are reading it correctly (As I did yesterday).

But, once the shock started to wear off, you see that this was a move that will almost surely help this hockey team. Gilbert is a solid puck moving defenseman, who will help add some offense to the blue line (Erik Karlsson of Ottawa is just 9 points behind the entire Wild defense in scoring this year. Karlsson has 65 points, the Wild defense has 74). He comes in for Schultz, who is a stay at home, play solid defense type of d-man, something the Oilers need very much.

As I mentioned before, Schultz was a leader on the club and one of the most respected guys in the locker room. But, as we all know, this is a part of the game. Its tough to say goodbye to someone who has played so well and for the same organization his entire career. But, as Chuck Fletcher told the media yesterday, "Its about adding different pieces for us moving forward." So basically what he is saying is that this is a pure hockey move.

And in the end, this move will be one that should benefit this hockey team in a big way...