Where Burns could end up if traded by Sharks

• Editor's note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports California's Sharks coverage for the 2021-22 season. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

Could Brent Burns be playing somewhere else besides San Jose next year?

It makes sense: Burns is still a high-end defenseman, he’s 37 and the Sharks are three years and running out of the NHL playoffs.

In short, if Burns wants to cap his Hall of Fame career with a Stanley Cup, it’s probably not happening in San Jose.

If Burns and the Sharks decide to go in different directions, he’ll have a big say in where he goes. The 2017 Norris Trophy winner has a three-team trade clause, meaning the Sharks can send him to three destinations of his choice. A trade anywhere else would require his consent.

Burns didn’t exactly quash the notion of moving on in his May exit interview, when I asked him if he was thinking about chasing a Stanley Cup elsewhere.

“San Jose has been a special place for us, for our family," Burns said at the time. “It’s definitely tough when you lose three years, not making the playoffs. I think everybody feels that way, whether they’re young or older. At the end of the day, that’s what we all play for. I’ve been in the league long enough to know that, when you’re doing these meetings at this time, there’s a lot of changes that happen, that need to happen.

“A lot of changes are going to happen here. When you’re looking for a new general manager, there’s a lot of things on the table. So I don’t know. I’m going to be staring at a squat rack in a little bit here and trying to get my head wrapped around that.”

So where could Burns be dealt to this summer? 

I looked at organizations that fancy themselves Cup contenders, who might be able to absorb all or most of Burns’ remaining three years and $8 million dollar annual average value, and who could use an upgrade at defense.

I also spoke with reporters who cover the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals to get their thoughts.

Dallas Stars

Sheng Peng: This is the obvious destination. Burns makes his offseason home in Texas, Dallas has a need at right-handed defense if UFA John Klingberg walks and ex-Sharks teammate Joe Pavelski has made a second home for himself in Dallas. Also, ex-Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, who Burns enjoyed his best years with in San Jose, is the favorite to take over behind the bench in the Big D.

Mike Heika, Dallas Stars: They need a right-handed defenseman, but that’s too much money. 

They have to give raises to Jason Robertson (from $1 million to maybe $8 million) and also for Jake Oettinger ($4 million to $5 million), so that’s why they probably won’t re-sign Klingberg. 

They like him and he loves Texas, but it doesn’t seem a fit to me.

Sheng: Of course, Burns’ AAV, term and age will make his contract tough to move.

That said, the Stars’ cap situation isn’t as challenging as some of the other teams on this list. If Burns wants to go to Dallas, and the Stars want him, my guess is they can make it work.

The big question for the Sharks, of course, is why would they trade Burns if they’re trying to make the playoffs next year? Burns is still San Jose’s No. 1 defenseman and put up 54 points this past season.

Three things: If Burns wants to go chase a Cup elsewhere, of course the Sharks should accommodate him. The franchise icon deserves it. Also, it’s worth wondering if the Sharks can do better with Burns’ $8 million cap slot in terms of ROI? I’m not sure, but it has to be considered. It must be said too: Burns is 37, so a sharp decline could be just around the corner.

Anyway, because of his age and expense, don’t plan on the Sharks getting a ton for Burns in a trade. What’s going to help the Sharks win games in Burns’ absence is how they redistribute his AAV to other players.

Nashville Predators

Sheng: The Predators might want to improve their right side -- Norris Trophy contender Roman Josi is left-handed -- and they might want to take some of the offensive load off Josi.

Nashville’s big offseason question is whether or not they’re bringing back pending UFA Filip Forsberg. A little bit like the Sharks’ decision to give Tomas Hertl the maximum contract, David Poile’s decision will tell you what the Preds’ direction is: Do they think they can compete for the Cup, or is their window closed?

Bryan Bastin, On the Forecheck: That's an intriguing question. Nashville sits with $24 million in cap space, with Forsberg as the biggest outstanding piece to the puzzle. 

Burns appears to have had a decent year at 5-on-5, but his PP impact seems like it would be a great fit -- it looks like he has the profile of a Poile/John Hynes type of player.

That being said, they'll have Josi ($9.5 million AAV), Matt Duchene ($8 million), Ryan Johansen ($8 million) plus Forsberg if he re-signs, and all are long term.  

The discount (or trade compensation) from San Jose retaining salary would have to be pretty severe. Nashville slowly has worked their way out of some long-term veteran deals (see the Kyle Turris buyout), and there's always the looming specter of the Shea Weber cap recapture as well.

In all, I think it feels unlikely given Nashville's window is effectively closed at this point. They have cap space heading into next season, but they've been good at getting young players development time.

Sheng: Would the Sharks have to add an asset on top of Burns to get rid of his contract? It’s possible.

The Sharks might also need to retain some salary to grease the wheels here too. Burns at three years left and $6 million AAV -- say the Sharks retain $2 million a year -- is a way more attractive asset.

The trick for the Sharks is to avoid retaining too much -- they want to win next year, after all -- but retain enough to make Burns’ cap hit more appealing. I doubt, for example, that the Sharks would retain the maximum 50 percent ($4 million a year) on Burns.

Would the Preds give up a 2023 second-round pick for Burns if the Sharks retain $2 million a year?

New York Islanders

Sheng: There are a lot of reasons why Burns might not fit with the Islanders.

It’s hard to see Burns shaving his beard, for one -- on Lou Island, what Lamoriello says goes.

The Isles also missed the playoffs this past season but were back-to-back semifinalists previously.

They also should be set at the right side of their defense between emerging star Noah Dobson and stalwart Ryan Pulock.

That said, New York appears to be looking to add to their defense.

Stefen Rosner, NYI Hockey Now: He’s a leader, a competitor and Burns showed this year that he isn’t washed. I like the fit.

Defense is the strength of the Isles and I’m a firm believer in keeping your strengths a strength, so I think the priority is still defense.

It’s plausible, if the Isles make a move, i.e., get rid of Josh Bailey ($5 million AAV) or Seymon Varlamov ($5 million) or Anthony Beauvillier ($4.15 million).

Sheng: The Sharks could take one problem contract off the Islanders’ hands -- speedy 25-year-old Beauviller, signed for two more years, in exchange for Burns. Would the Islanders also add Colorado’s 2022 second-round pick on top of it?

RELATED: Who Sharks should target in free agency, trades this summer

Other Teams

Steve Macfarlane of Calgary Hockey Now “doesn’t see defense as a position of need” for the Calgary Flames. Also, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane and Oliver Kylington all need new contracts, so the Flames will be experiencing a “huge cap pinch.”

The Carolina Hurricanes could be an intriguing landing spot for Burns -- if the Canes can’t bring back offensive dynamo Tony DeAngelo.

“My guess is they'll re-sign DeAngelo,” Scott Burnside of The Daily Faceoff offered, “and it'll be cheaper, and frankly, he's probably going to be just as effective.

“At more than a decade younger, the Hurricanes' focus will be on DeAngelo. It's hard to imagine circumstances that would see Burns end up in Raleigh.”

“They couldn’t afford it if he was given to them,” George Richards of Florida Hockey Now asserted when asked about Burns setting up shop with the Florida Panthers. “The Panthers have $4 million under the cap, already have two players making $10 mil, Aaron Ekblad at $7.5 mil, and Jonathan Huberdeau about to get a raise.”

Could Burns replace UFA Kris Letang on the Pittsburgh Penguins blueline?

“I think [GM Ron] Hextall would find a stop-gap before he went with a D-man who makes more turnovers and is older than Letang,” Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now intimated.

Sammi Silber of Washington Hockey Now doesn’t think the Washington Capitals are looking to upgrade their back-end: “The Caps are looking to inject youth and have John Carlson and liked the blueline this past season. They need forwards and goalies. Plus, cap space is still tight.”

I thought that the up-and-coming Vancouver Canucks might appreciate some leadership on their blueline. But Rob Simpson of Vancouver Hockey Now doesn’t see Burns as a fit: “Their main mission is to make the core younger. And Oliver Ekman-Larsson serves the purpose of veteran presence and already costs them too much money and has a no-move clause.”