The Colorado Avalanche are making moves to keep their blue line strong, re-signing veteran defensemen Brett Kulak and Brent Burns. This decision ensures that the Avalanche maintain a blend of experience and skill on their defensive end.
Brett Kulak is sticking around with a five-year contract that comes with an average annual value of $4.5 million. Kulak, now 32, ended last season with the Avalanche after a mid-season trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, which saw Samuel Girard and a draft pick head the other way. Before his stint with the Penguins, Kulak was part of a trade from the Edmonton Oilers, a deal that also involved goaltender Stuart Skinner and a draft pick, in exchange for Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.
Last season, Kulak put up one goal and 12 points over 83 games, splitting his time between the Oilers, Penguins, and Avalanche. He averaged 18:58 of ice time during the regular season.
In the playoffs, Kulak added a goal and five points over 13 games, with his ice time increasing to an average of 20:38 per game. Despite the Avalanche's exit in the Western Conference Final, Kulak's performance was solid.
Standing at 6-foot-1, the left-shot defenseman is transitioning from a four-year, $11 million contract with a $2.75 million cap hit. His career, which started when he was drafted 105th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2012, includes 29 goals and 137 points over 663 games with stints at the Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Oilers, Penguins, and Avalanche.
Notably, he was part of the Oilers team that reached consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025.
On the other side, Brent Burns, at 41, is returning for another season with a one-year contract that includes a base salary of $850K, with the potential to earn over $2 million more through performance bonuses. Burns showcased his enduring talent last season with 12 goals and 35 points in 82 games, averaging 18:53 of ice time. During the playoffs, he chipped in four assists over 13 games, although the Avalanche fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
Burns, a towering 6-foot-5 right-shot defenseman, is coming off a one-year, $1 million contract. His illustrious career began when he was drafted 20th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2003.
Over 1,579 career games, Burns has accumulated 273 goals and 945 points, playing for the Wild, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Avalanche. His accolades include winning the Norris Trophy in 2017 as the NHL’s top defenseman, thanks to a standout season with the Sharks where he posted 29 goals and 76 points.
Burns was also instrumental in leading the Sharks to their inaugural Stanley Cup Final in 2016, contributing seven goals and 24 points in 24 playoff games.
Internationally, Burns has donned the Canadian jersey multiple times, earning a silver medal at the 2008 World Hockey Championship and a gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. His return to the Avalanche signals a continued commitment to leveraging his vast experience and leadership on the ice.
In Other News...
Penguins Suddenly Face More Trade Buzz Around Key Forwards
Trade talk around the Penguins keeps circling back to the same familiar names, and Frank Seravalli added another layer to it on his latest Hockey 24/7 board. Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust all landed on the list, a reminder that Pittsburghs veteran forwards continue to draw attention as the market starts to sort itself out. Novaks contract situation alone makes him an obvious name to watch, while Rakell and Rust have been in rumor traffic for a while now.
The reason this chatter has real weight is that the Penguins are not dealing with fringe depth pieces here. Novak is entering the final season of his deal, which gives him some appeal as a movable asset, and Rakells value could rise if teams decide to pay up for scoring help. Rust remains the trickiest name of the three because he is so closely tied to the franchises recent era, which is why any fresh speculation around him tends to stand out even more. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Suddenly Face A Tough Parker Wotherspoon Decision
Parker Wotherspoon did not arrive in Pittsburgh with much fanfare, but by the end of the season he had worked his way into a far more important role than anyone probably expected. Signed to a two-year deal, he settled in as a regular on the blue line and became a steady fit next to Erik Karlsson, giving the Penguins a more dependable look on the right side while handling tough minutes and helping Karlsson find his best form in Pittsburgh.
The broader issue now is what comes next for a defense corps that still looks thin on the left side. Wotherspoons breakout season put him in the middle of a contract conversation the Penguins cannot ignore for long, especially after his 80-game workload and team-leading blocked shots made clear how much value he added even without much power-play time. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Are Getting Serious Draft Praise For One Bold Weekend
The Penguins spent a busy draft weekend making six selections, and the class drew immediate attention because it was built around a pair of twins. Pittsburgh opened by taking Liam Ruck in the first round and then followed up with Markus Ruck early in the second, a sequence that gave the team a clear identity at the top of its class and set the tone for the rest of the haul.
Scott Wheeler saw enough in the group to give Pittsburgh plenty of credit, pointing to the Rucks along with Tomas Galvas and Pierce Mbuyi as strong picks. Galvas in particular stands out as the kind of defenseman who could become more than a depth name if his skating translates as expected, while Parker Von Richter adds another layer of intrigue later in the class even if his NHL path remains less certain. [Read more 🡒]