Burns signed a one-year contract to join the Colorado Avalanche in free agency, the team announced Wednesday. Burns spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. He hit free agency when the eight-year, $8 million AAV deal he signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2016 expired following his 2024-25 campaign with the Canes.

Six-time NHL All-Star and 2017 Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns signed a one-year contract Wednesday with the Colorado Avalanche.

On Wednesday, the organization announced they had agreed to terms on a one-year contract with 40-year-old defenseman Brent Burns. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. Even at 40, Burns has shown the ability to eat up valuable minutes,

There's still some quality to be found after the first day of NHL free agency with solid depth pieces on offer.

Here's a look at the unrestricted free agent field, organized into different tiers. There are also some significant restricted free agents, too -- like forward Marco Rossi (Wild), as well as defensemen K'Andre Miller (Rangers). It's anyone's guess if last season's offer sheet fun was an anomaly or the new normal.

Many of the top pending free agents were already off the board — most notably winger Mitch Marner, who was moved from Toronto to Vegas in a sign-and-trade deal announced Tuesday