*Shrug* You could also look at Keith, Staal, and Ekman-Larsson.
He's the 14th highest-paid defenseman in the league....yet he isn't even the best defenseman on this team.
This season, it looks like no matter who he plays with, when Burns is on the ice at even strength, the Sharks are bleeding goals.
Wrong, you cant compare Keith or OEL to burns contract. Keith is on a long term, cap circumventing cap, and was signed when the cap was lower than it is now. If he went to market last year he would get paid WAY more than he makes now. OEL is not on a UFA contract, and he will make way more when his contact is up assuming his play continues to be as good as it is. Staal, not even worth the time to look his contract up, hes nowhere near as valuable as burns to any team.
You keep bringing up burns not even being the best dman on this team. Thats arguable, but also completely irrelevant to how good or bad his contract is. Players dont base their salary on the team salary structure, but instead on the league wide average for players that are similar in play time and points production as themselves. Its also why, even though Vlassic is an absolute Defensive stud, he will never garner huge contracts, if his points totals stay pedestrian.
The sharks also ooze goals when burns is on the ice. It goes both ways with him, the problem is trying to figure out how to minimize the negatives in his game, while keeping as much of the positives as possible.
