The Preds just finished a hard series against a team with a old school defensive corps. What's next? More of the same, except this team has Brent Burns.
The Sharks defense is a collection of veterans who are in the right place, and the best offensive defenseman in the west. It's hard to understate how good Brent Burns is, but the remainder of the defense cements the Sharks' identity. Justin Braun, Marc-Eduoard Vlasic, and Paul Martin may not be the flashiest of defenders, but they are more than effective.
For starters, let's look at their pairings and icetime.