In honour of the defenceman, several Hurricanes players arrived at the Lenovo Center wearing fake beards, doing their best impression of the grizzled veteran.
Guess what they say is true, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Burns, who made his NHL debut in 2003, is one of the more recognizable faces in the sport. At six-foot-five, he stands out from most, but his beard is what truly defines him. After all, it did get him cast in Jack Link’s beef jerky commercials.
The defenceman is also the active NHL Iron Man, meaning he has played in the most consecutive games. Sunday’s game against the Jets is the 907th straight game for Burns, which ranks sixth in NHL history.
Burns’ streak dates back to Nov. 21, 2013. Phil Kessel owns the NHL record at 1064 consecutive games played.
