Brent Burns has the impressive Ironman streak — 925 straight games and counting — the majestic beard and the individual accolades.

All that’s missing from his potential Hall of Fame career is that Stanley Cup title. This could be his last chance. The 40-year-old agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche that includes up to $3 million more in performance bonus.

He’s trying to follow the script of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who spent most of his career with Boston only to join the Avalanche late in his career and hoist the Cup in 2001 before skating off into retirement.

“There’s still something to chase, so I’m still super-motivated for that,” Burns said Thursday in a Zoom call. “There’s one big goal still.”

He joins a stacked Colorado team that includes fellow Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Cale Makar and one of the league’s top scorers in Nathan MacKinnon. Burns figures to add another layer of leadership to a team that just got back captain Gabriel Landeskog after he missed nearly three years in his recovery from a serious knee injury.

“You’re around guys that are chasing one goal and there’s just something special about it — all the laughs and the working hard together,” Burns said. “It’s really special to try to build something together, and I just enjoy that process.”

The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Burns could be partnered on the blue line with Sam Malinski, who was around 5 years old when Burns broke into the league. What number Burns may wear on his jersey remains in the air. The numbers he’s donned over his NHL career are taken — No. 8 is worn by Makar and No. 88 by Martin Necas, who was his teammate in Carolina. Burns is leaning toward No. 84, “but I don’t know if it’s set in stone yet,” he said.

Burns won the league’s award for the top defenseman in 2017. He joins another Norris winner in Makar, who was the award’s most recent recipient and also won it in 2022, when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup.

“He’s obviously just insanely talented,” Burns said of Makar. “The things he can do — there’s not many, if any, people in the world that can do it. So I’m really excited to get to see it in person every day and see how he ticks, and how he thinks about the game.”

Burns is still getting major ice time even as he’s about to enter his 22nd NHL season. He averaged nearly 21 minutes a game for the Hurricanes last season. He had six goals and 23 assists.

What’s more, he’s played in 925 straight games, which is the fourth-longest “Iron Man” streak in NHL history and longest currently going.

A first-round pick by Minnesota in 2003, Burns played seven seasons with the Wild before being dealt to San Jose in 2011. He spent the past three seasons in Carolina.

Over 1,497 regular-season games, he’s scored 261 goals and dished out 649 assists.

He’s led all NHL defensemen in points (2016-17, 18-19), assists (18-19) and goals (15-16, 16-17) for a season over his career.

Burns is set to become the 23rd player in NHL history to skate in at least 22 seasons.

“That’s a big part for me. It’s something I really want to do. It’s definitely not easy,” Burns said. “I think it’s a special group here. ... Whatever they ask of me, that’s what I want to do. That’s all that I’m really looking at right now is that’s what I want to do.”

The one piece missing from his lengthy career is that Stanley Cup. He reached the final with the Sharks in 2016, where they lost to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

In 135 postseason games, Burns has 24 goals and 56 assists while averaging just over 24 minutes on the ice.

“I just want to come in and join the group, fit in,” Burns said. “I want to bring some energy, bring some fun, some experience.”

Ehlers finally decides on Hurricanes

The long wait for Nikolaj Ehlers’ free agent decision is over.

Ehlers decided Thursday to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the top player available off the market more than 72 hours since the NHL’s signing period began.

Ehlers agreed to terms on a six-year, $51 million contract. He’ll count $8.5 million against the salary cap through 2031. He’s coming off being nearly a point-a-game player with 63 in 69.

“Nikolaj was the top free agent available on July 1, and we are proud that he’s chosen to make Carolina his home,” general manager Eric Tulsky said. “He’s a highly skilled winger who can really skate and will fit very well with our forward group.”

It turned out to be worth the wait for the speedy 29-year-old winger from Denmark who played his first 10 seasons with Winnipeg. Ehlers’ contract is the most lucrative of any signed by an unrestricted free agent who left his team this week and $250,000 more than Brock Boeser got to re-sign with Vancouver.

The only bigger contracts have been K’Andre Miller’s eight years and $60 million — also with Carolina in a sign and trade from the New York Rangers — and Ivan Provorov staying with Columbus for $59.5 million over the next seven seasons.

“From first-round pick to the highest-scoring Danish player in NHL history, and all the countless memories in between, thank you for everything, Fly,” the Jets posted on social media. “All the best in Carolina.”

Signing Ehlers could start dominos falling around the league as teams who did not get him — among them, the Washington Capitals — turn to backup plans. That includes potential trades, with Pittsburgh actively in selling mode, along with remaining free agents.

Orlov, Leddy are latest D additions for Sharks

Dmitry Orlov is heading to the spend-happy San Jose Sharks, who have been active this week and even made a pickup off the waiver wire to reach the salary floor.

Orlov, who turns 34 later this month, signed a two-year contract worth $13 million. A Stanley Cup champion from his time in Washington who spent the past two seasons in Carolina, the veteran defenseman will count $6.5 million against the cap through 2026-27.

Orlov is the latest addition for the Sharks, who needed to add $20 million somehow to get to the $70.6 million minimum for player salaries. That counts money owed to captain Logan Couture, whose playing career is over because of a debilitating injury.

San Jose also claimed Nick Leddy off waivers from St. Louis to add to its new-look blue line that includes recently signed veteran John Klingberg, who got $4 million for next season.

“Klingberg was someone we had targeted for a little while now,” general manager Mike Grier said earlier this week. “We need someone who can run a power play. We think, as he showed he was getting healthier and healthier this year and another year out from his hip (surgery), I think he’ll be even better”

Leddy also has a year left on his contract at a cap hit of $4 million, with $3 million in actual dollars owed. Orlov is the only experienced defenseman San Jose has signed beyond 2026.