SAN JOSE — As the Sharks moved into the Western Conference’s penthouse suite on Monday, a key member of the team pulled ahead in his own race for a piece of significant hardware.
Brent Burns took the driver’s seat in the Norris Trophy race during the Sharks 4-0 road trip through Western Canada, adding six points to a total that is tops among NHL defensemen.
The numbers speak for themselves. With 63 points in 57 games, Burns is on pace to become the first blue liner in 25 years to hit the 90-point mark, a feat last accomplished by Hall of Famer Ray Bourque in an era of wide-open scoring.