“That D-core was a really good core. We were a tight defensive team, and a lot of that, obviously forwards, everybody makes an impact and makes a difference when they’re committed to the defensive side of the game, but our D-core, we wanted to bring them back,” Avalanche president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic said. “I thought Brett, when he came in the deal with (Samuel) Girard, thought he was outstanding for us. He fit perfectly. The type of player that we wanted at times in the playoffs. We thought he was one of our most consistent players, never mind just ‘D.’
“And obviously Burns, he brings his leadership. I thought he had a really good year last year. He looked a little fatigued at the end, but I thought the way he played in the playoffs, he brought energy, passion, physicality, and he’s a guy we wanted to bring back for that leadership in the dressing room. Great guy, great guy for the dressing room.”
Burns had 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games for Colorado this season and four assists in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The 41-year-old defenseman played his 1,000th consecutive NHL game April 4 against the Dallas Stars. His run of 1,007 straight games trails only Phil Kessel, who holds the record of 1,064.
Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (No. 20) of the 2003 NHL Draft, Burns has 945 points (273 goals, 672 assists) in 1,579 regular-season games during 22 seasons for the Wild, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes and Avalanche. He won the Norris Trophy in 2016-17 voted as the best defenseman in the NHL after he had a career-high 29 goals and 76 points in 82 games for the Sharks.
Burns has 84 points (24 goals, 60 assists) in 148 playoff games.
Kulak had 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) in 83 regular-season games for the Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers this season. The 32-year-old defenseman was traded from Edmonton to Pittsburgh on Dec. 12 and then traded to Colorado on Feb. 24.
Kulak had three assists in 27 games with the Avalanche and five points (one goal, four assists) in 13 playoff games.
Selected by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round (No. 105) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Kulak has 137 points (29 goals, 108 assists) in 663 regular-season games for the Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Oilers, Penguins and Avalanche and 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) in 111 playoff games.