Brent Burns isn’t ready to give up his dream of winning a Stanley Cup title. So the 40-year-old former San Jose Sharks star defenseman decided to try to follow the script of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

Burns, who has played in 925 straight games, is eyeing the path Bourque took when he joined the Avalanche late in his career and hoisted the Cup in 2001 before skating off into retirement.

“There’s still something to chase, so I’m still super-motivated for that. There’s one big goal left,” Burns said after agreeing to a contract that will pay him $1 million in a contract that includes up to $3 million in bonuses.

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.

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.

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

Toews joins hometown Jets

Jonathan Toews is back in the NHL with his hometown Winnipeg Jets after a two-year absence.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion was introduced Friday as the newest member of the Jets, donning a jersey with his signature No. 19 at a team news conference.

The Jets announced their intention to acquire the 37-year-old center last month, but it only became official this week, with Toews signing a one-year deal worth $2 million, plus performance bonuses tied to games played and playoff success.

The longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain last played in April 2023.

Chosen one of the NHL’s top 100 players from its first 100 years, Toews played 15 seasons with the Blackhawks and was one of the faces of the franchise. He also helped Canada win gold at back-to-back Olympics in 2010 and ’14.

Toews stepped away from hockey two years ago citing the effects of Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and long COVID-19.