Colorado Avalanche camp had a double-take moment Wednesday: Brent Burns arrived without the beard that has framed his face through most of a 23-season NHL career.
SEO Title: Brent Burns clean-shaven as Avalanche open training camp
SEO Description: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns debuted a clean-shaven look, new haircut and new front teeth at training camp as he closes in on the NHL ironman record.
Brent Burns brings a new look to Avalanche camp
Burns met the media clean-shaven, with a shorter haircut and new front teeth, two weeks ahead of Colorado’s season opener against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Faceoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, with TNT, truTV and HBO Max carrying the game.
The missing beard was the biggest change. Burns entered the League as an 18-year-old in 2003 with far less facial hair, but the beard soon became part of his identity around the rink.
It had become such a recognizable feature by 2016 that the San Jose Sharks used it for a Chia Pet promotion during Burns’ time in California.
Quick facts
- Burns is preparing for his 23rd NHL season with Colorado.
- He reported to Avalanche camp on Wednesday with a clean-shaven face, new haircut and new front teeth.
- Colorado opens against the Kings on Sept. 30 at 10 p.m. ET.
- Burns’ active consecutive-games run began in 2013 and has passed 1,000 games.
- He sits 57 games behind Phil Kessel’s NHL record of 1,064 straight games played.
The veteran defenseman reached the 1,000-game mark in his active streak late last season, a run built largely with the long beard still intact. The number remains one of the league’s toughest durability tests, with Burns now within range of Kessel’s all-time benchmark.
For Colorado, the clean-shaven version of Burns will still be chasing the same nightly assignment: hold the blue line, move pucks, and keep the ironman streak alive when the puck drops against Los Angeles.
