May 22: Burns opened the scoring Tuesday, adding three shots and 19:20 in ice time in the San Jose win. That's Burns first point in the series against Los Angeles. He's been less effective for the Sharks in the postseason than during the regular season, averaging .5 points per game.

May 8: Burns scored on a redirection in the Sharks series-clinching win Tuesday. This was Burns first goal of the playoffs, but he ends round one with three points in four games. This is the best scoring rate he's had in his four postseason appearances. He continues to be effective on San Jose's first line.

May 4: Burns was effective with two assists, a plus-2 rating, 2 penalty minutes, and five shots in Friday's victory over Vancouver. Burns helped produce offensive opportunities all over the ice Friday. He now has five points in his last four games.

Apr 24: Burns scored his ninth goal of the year in the Sharks' loss. Burns continues to be very effective on forward for the Sharks with 18 points in 19 games at forward. If he's eligible for defense in your league, he's one of the best values on your team.

Apr 17: Burns had a goal, an assist, two penalty minutes, seven shots, and was a plus-2 Tuesday against the Kings. Burns has 17 points in 18 games at forward for the Sharks. There is no reason he should be available in your league. If he is, grab him now.

Apr 14: Burns had the lone San Jose goal in Saturday's loss. Burns continues to play very well for San Jose and his versatility in many fantasy leagues makes him indispensable.

Apr 7: Burns had a goal, two penalty minutes, and four shots in Sunday's loss to Dallas. Burns continues to tear it up on wing. He has four points in his last three games and 14 points in his last 14 games.

Apr 6: Burns grabbed an assist on Joe Pavelski's game-winning goal Friday, giving him three assists in the last two games. For a defenseman, Burns is making an excellent forward for the Sharks, as most of his season's 13 points have come while playing wing. Considering he's listed as a defenseman in most leagues, look for Burns to continue to be a value while he is seeing offensive minutes at forward.

Apr 4: Burns had two assists, a +1 rating, and three shots in the Sharks' win over his former team Wednesday. Burns has been great lately with six points in his last six games. He's settling in at forward and it seems unlikely that he'll be moved back to D with this kind of production on San Jose's top line.

Apr 1: Burns was practicing at forward Monday morning for the Sharks according to the Mercury News. It seems likely, with the addition of Matt Tennyson on D, that Burns will be back to the forward spot he's been very productive in this season. Keep started him on D if he's eligible in your team.

Mar 30: Burns will play on the blue line in Saturday's game against the Coyotes, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Jason Demers is out with an undisclosed injury, so Burns will fill in on defense, at least temporarily. He's been thriving as a forward and will likely move off the blue line at some point in the not-so-distant future, if not after Saturday's game.

Mar 28: Burns scored a power play goal midway through the first period as the Sharks defeated the Ducks 4-0 on Wednesday. Burns has been having a great month of March so far as he's sitting at nine points (4G, 5A) and plus-2 since he's been moved to forward.

Mar 25: Burns scored the opening goal as well as contributing an assist in Monday's 5-3 win over Anaheim. Burns' stint on forward has been a success to this point as he has eight points (3G, 5A) in his first seven games after switching roles. It's still undetermined how long he'll be staying in his new role, but as long as he continues to have success it'll be an even tougher decision to move him back as the Sharks have been struggling to find consistent offense.

Mar 17: Burns posted two assists Saturday in the Sharks' 5-2 loss at Los Angeles, giving him five points this season -- all in his last three games. Assuming your league has position-eligibility requirements, and you can use him as a defenseman, you need to ride this horse as long as you can.

Mar 15: Burns scored his second goal in as many games playing winger as the Sharks defeated the Kings 4-3 on Thursday. Burns has been excelling in his new, and for the time being temporary, role as he's put up three points (2G, 1A) in his first two games there. Look for him to continue playing on the wing for the time being as the experiment is paying off for the Sharks so far.

Mar 14: Burns is still skating as a winger for the Sharks, CSN's Brodie Brazil reports. Burns was productive in his first game at winger for the Sharks and for the time being it appears as if he'll be staying there. It's to be seen how long this will last but it provides an opportunity for additional value to his fantasy owners. Expect him to still get playing time on the blue line during the man advantage.

Mar 13: Burns, who had been out since February 23 with a leg injury, was able to play as expected in Tuesday's loss to the Blues. He scored San Jose's first goal and skated for 18:21, so he looks good to get back in your lineup if you had been hesitant to pull the trigger Tuesday. The fact that Burns saw 2:41 in power play time right away shows that he'll go right back to his role as being the main guy on the blue line for the Sharks along with Dan Boyle.

Mar 12: Burns (leg) is expected to play Tuesday against the Blues, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Burns practiced Tuesday morning as the right wing on the Sharks' third line with Scott Gomez and James Sheppard and it looks like that's an arrangement that will carry over into the team's night game. It remains to be seen how long Burns will stay up front, but as long as he does, it's a nice bonus for his fantasy owners, on top of his return.

Mar 11: Burns (undisclosed) could return to the lineup Tuesday when the Sharks take on the Blues, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. Burns hasn't played since February 23 against the Stars, but skated as a forward during Monday's practice to get him some extra ice time.

Feb 26: Burns (undisclosed issue) has been place on IR, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. With Burns slated to miss at least the next two games, the Sharks have recalled fellow blueliner Matt Irwin.

Feb 25: Burns (undisclosed) will miss at least the next two games, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. The injury-prone blueliner left Saturday's game against the Stars with an undisclosed injury, and it appears Burns will not be available again until the Sharks take on the Predators on March 2.

Feb 23: Burns was hurt in the first period of Saturday's game and did not return, according to CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. There's no work on the severity, but expect bad things -- it is Brent Burns after all. And he's a magnet for injury.

Feb 9: Burns (lower body) made his season debut Saturday against the Coyotes. He had one shot, one minor penalty and two hits in over 20 minutes of work. He's a potent goal scorer from the blue line and should inject the slumping Sharks with a new dimension to their offense. He should be good to go in weekly formats next week.

Feb 9: Burns (lower body) was activated from injured reserve Saturday, TSN's James Mirtle reports. Burns has yet to play this season, but it sounds like he'll make his debut Saturday against the Coyotes.

Feb 8: Burns (lower body) could play as early as Saturday, but will play "very soon" according to Coach Todd McLellan, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports. Burns wasn't expected to return to the lineup for at least another week, but looks to be ahead of schedule. Burns practiced today alongside Brad Stuart, so he would likely be placed on the team's top defensive pair. If he doesn't play Saturday, he would most likely return Monday when the Sharks face the Blue Jackets.

Feb 1: Burns (lower body) could return sometime this month, David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News reports. Burns practiced earlier this week, the first time he was able to do so all year. He appears to be getting closer to a return, but he will miss at least two more weeks. When Burns is able to return, he will add to the powerful San Jose offense that is second in the league with 3.9 goals per game.

Jan 30: Burns (lower body) took part in morning skate prior to Tuesday's win over Anaheim, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. It was the first time Burns was able to do so this season, a sign that a return could be on the horizon. Burns has been a proven scorer on the blue line during his career, and once he's healthy, he'll add yet another option to the Sharks' scoring surplus.

Jan 23: The Sharks placed Burns (lower body) on IR on Wednesday. Burns was moved to IR to clear a roster spot for newly-acquired Scott Gomez, and the timetable for his return is unknown. Burns has been a decently valuable fantasy defenseman throughout his career, recording a line of 11/26/37 in 81 games last season for the Sharks.

Jan 14: Burns missed the team's first training camp session Sunday due to a lower body injury. Burns had been in the process of recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery, but it looks like he now has a new injury to contend with. Consider the injury day-to-day until a potential return date is announced.

Jan 5: Burns, who underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia and groin injury in late May, continues to rehab the injuries and is uncertain to suit up by the time a shortened season would begin, CSN Bay Area reports. Burns played through the injury during the entire second half of the 2012-13 season, but still managed to put up 20 points in 35 games after the break. The lockout has prevented the Sharks from officially commenting on Burns' status, but if the season begins by commissioner Gary Bettman's mandated Jan. 19 deadline, it seems Burns might require a little more additional recovery before returning to action.

Jun 19: Burns underwent surgery for a sports hernia, the San Jose Mercury News reports. GM Doug Wilson revealed the surgery during the announcement that Todd McLellan was returning as head coach. He should be ready to go for the start of the season.

Apr 26: Burns finished the season with 11 goals and 26 assists for the Sharks. Burns' numbers were down from his career year in '10-'11 with Minnesota although it was another strong year for the defender as he finished the season seventh on the Sharks stat sheet for points, even while finishing the season nursing an abdominal strain.

Apr 14: Burns may be in line for a suspension after deliberately elbowing the Blues' Scott Nichol in the back of the head in the second period of Saturday's Game 2 loss. He cold-cocked Nichol and received a roughing penalty, but it was clearly a pointless -- and brainless -- move by Burns. Nichol didn't even know he was there.

Mar 20: Burns tallied a pair of assists on Monday night as the Sharks lost to the Ducks 5-3. Burns has registered 10-24-34 and is plus-5 on the season. Those numbers are a bit down from last season, although still in the top 20 of NHL defensemen.

Feb 27: Burns scored his 10th goal of the season Sunday against Minnesota, and he added an assist as well. Burns has 30 points in 60 games, and is a plus-7, which are good numbers for a defenseman, which is something we've gotten used to from Burns.

Feb 19: Burns' assist in Sunday's loss to Detroit gives him a point in each of the last two games. Burns has three points over the last four contests and has bounced back excellently from what some would characterize as a slow start. Burns is well on his way to another productive season and remains one of the Western Conference's top offensive blue liners, especially in terms of goal scoring.

Feb 13: Burns registered his first goal since January 7 with a tally Monday night in a win over Washington. Burns has been on a torrid pace of assists lately, with eight over the last six games to go with Monday's goal. His game has woken up following a slow start, as he has been showing his considerable skill during the Sharks' recent run of up-and-down play.

Feb 11: Burns had three assists in the 5-3 victory Friday night over the Chicago Blackhawks. In what could have been a preview to the Western Conference Finals this year the Sharks ended up on the winning side. The three assists for Burns gives him 21 on the season and his first season away from Minnesota is looking better and better for the young blue-liner.

Feb 2: Burns helped out on three goals in Thursday's win over Dallas. He also collected four PIM, making him very fantasy-friendly for once this year. Burns had been without a point in his last four games and still has only scored one goal since Dec. 21, but at least he distributed the puck effectively in this one.

Jan 30: Burns (leg) will return to action Tuesday against Columbus, Brodie Brazil of CSN Bay Area reports. He missed just one game (January 24 against Calgary) after suffering the injury, and it appears as though the extra rest around the All-Star break was enough to get him back in action. Burns has been able to avoid injuries for the most part this season, but has just 17 points through 46 games along with a plus-10 rating.

Jan 24: Burns will miss Tuesday's game against Calgary, but his leg injury is not located in the knee, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The injury was instead described as a "charleyhorse situation." The team is hopeful that he'll be ready to play after the All-Star break.

Jan 24: Burns left Monday's game with a knee injury and is doubtful for Tuesday's game versus Calgary, the San Jose Mercury News' David Pollack reports. Burns was in a knee-on-knee collision with Edmonton's Ales Hemsky that resulted in a five-minute major and game misconduct which brought the Sharks' lone goal of the game. Coach Todd McLellan has said Burns is doubtful for the Calgary game on Tuesday.

Oct 29: Burns picked up an assist and then scored the game-winning goal on the power play in Saturday's OT win over the Islanders. It's his first multi-point effort of the season and his first points in five games. He's had a relatively slow start to the season but Saturday's performance could well be the magic elixir needed to jump-start his offense.

Oct 17: Burns scored a power-play goal and logged 26:02 of ice time Monday against Anaheim. Burns now has two goals on the season, and he has already established himself as one of San Jose's top defenseman. He's a proven scorer, and should be used whenever he is playing.

Oct 9: Burns logged just over 20 minutes of ice time with a power-play assist in his debut with the Sharks on Saturday. This was a nice start for Burns, who has joined the Sharks after seven seasons with the Wild. His assist, which was of the secondary variety, opened the scoring in this season opener.

Aug 1: Burns signed a five-year extension with San Jose on Monday, the Sharks' official site reports. After being plagued by injuries in recent seasons, Burns emerged as a premier offensive blueliner with the Wild last season en route to 46 points (17 G, 29 A) and projects to skate as part of the team's second defensive pairing, with an opportunity to log significant minutes on the power play as well.

Jun 27: Burns, who was traded by the Wild last Friday, is likely to be a second-pairing defenseman with Marc-Edouard Vlasic for the Sharks next season, the San Jose Mercury News reports. As noted in the report, Burns is not expected to supplant Doug Murray as a defender on the first unit alongside an All-Star defender in Dan Boyle. While this may have a negative impact on Burns' fantasy value in the Bay Area, it should help improve Team Teal's entire defensive corps.

Jun 24: Burns was traded to San Jose along with a second round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle and the 28th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Burns' name had been coming up in quite a few trade rumors in the last couple days, but no one thought his destination would be San Jose. Burns had an outstanding season this year with 17 goals and 46 points, but his fantasy value takes a bit of a hit going to a team that already has Dan Boyle running their first power play unit.

Apr 2: Burns (leg) will play Saturday, the Star-Tribune's Michael Russo reports. The Wild have a few injuries on the blue line, but fortunately their power-play quarterback is healthy for Saturday's tilt and is available to the fantasy owners he's been an asset to this season.

Apr 1: Burns left practice with an undisclosed leg injury Friday, the Wild's official site reports. Burns lost his footing while skating during practice and hurt his leg while falling. He left practice and is now questionable for Saturday's game against the Lightning.

Feb 24: Burns scores for the first time in 13 games for Minnesota on Thursday. Burns is having his best season since 2007-08 as he is finally completely healthy. The goal Thursday was his 15th, and he also added his 22nd assist in the 4-2 loss to the Kings.

Feb 13: Burns notched an assist for the third straight game on Saturday. He added two penalty minutes and finished plus-1. Last week, in the wake of a long scoring drought, we suggested that you temper your scoring expectations until he picked up his game. He's picked up his game; you should resume starting him.

Jan 23: Burns collected a goal and two assists in Minnesota's near-miss loss at San Jose on Saturday. He's headed for the first 50-point campaign of his career. When points come at this rate from the blue line, a player is worth watching.

Jan 18: Burns had a goal and an assist in Tuesday's win over Edmonton. Burns even added 15 penalty minutes in the contest. It was his first goal in the last seven games and 13th on the season. His career best is 15, set in 2007-08.

Jan 2: Burns scored his 12th goal and added two assists in Sunday's 6-5 overtime win over the Coyotes. Burns has five points in his last three games (2G, 3A) and has 26 points points in 36 games for Minnesota. Half of Burns goals have been on the power-play and his is on pace to score 55+ points (26G, 31A) eclipsing his career bests of 43 points (15G, 28A).

Dec 26: Burns scored the lone goal in Sunday's 4-1 loss to Detroit. Burns scored his 10th goal and first since Dec 12 on Sunday. Burns has six power-play goals along with 21 points in 32 games.

Dec 19: Burns assisted twice in Saturday's 3-1 win at Calgary, giving him 10 helpers on the campaign. When a rearguard is tied for third on the team in scoring, he's worth your attention. At this pace, he's a threat to his previous career high of 43 points, logged three seasons ago.

Dec 12: Burns scored the winning goal in overtime on the power play in Saturday's victory over the Kings. Burns has two goals in his last two games after sustaining a nasty face injury last weekend. He remains on a 50-point pace if he can stay healthy.

Dec 10: Burns returned to the ice quickly and productively after sustaining a nasty face injury, scoring his seventh goal of the season and going plus-two in the First period of Thursday's win over Phoenix. Finally, after two injury-riddled and low-scoring years, Burns' offensive skills have returned, and assuming he stays healthy, he could score around 50 points this year.

Dec 8: Burns (face) is expected to play in Thursday's game against the Coyotes, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns suffered multiple facial injuries last Friday, but it appears they will only cost him the one game he missed last Saturday. Feel free to activate Burns for Thursday's action.

Dec 7: Burns, who missed Monday's practice and left the team charity dinner Monday night early with a headache, has lost four teeth, has a fat lip, a stiff neck and has headaches since taking a helmet from Greg Zanon to his face last Friday, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports. Burns says it's not a problem and plans to practice Wednesday and be on the road trip with the Wild. the team is off until Thursday, so there's some more time for Burns to heal up and be close to be 100 percent. Still, any time there's a head issue it's worth monitoring.

Nov 20: Burns scored his sixth goal of the year in a 4-3 overtime win against Detroit on Friday night. He returned to action Friday night after serving a two-game suspension for his hit against Florida's Steve Bernier. Burns is having a solid fantasy year for a defenseman. He's had his share of injury problems the last few years, but if he remains healthy, he could have a breakout year in 2010-11.

Nov 18: Burns has served his two-game suspension for the hit on Florida's Steve Bernier last week, and is eligible to return when the Wild plays in Detroit on Friday. Burns has nine points in 15 games and is almost always productive when healthy, so there are probably not too many leagues out there where you wouldn't want him active.

Nov 13: Burns has been suspended for two games, reports Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He laid a hit on Panthers forward Steve Bernier that sent him to the hospital with a cut on his face. Burns claimed it was an accident, but the league came down on him anyway. He will be eligible to play next on November 19 against the Red Wings.

Nov 12: Burns could face a possible suspension for a fight after Friday's loss to Florida ended that sent Steve Bernier to the hospital, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns reportedly hit Bernier in the eye with a stick, but it's not clear if that was deliberate. Either way, it sounds like he's going to be suspended when the NHL reviews the incident.

Nov 6: Burns scored two power-play goals in Saturday's win over the Blue Jackets. He had gone four games without a point after such a hot start to the season. But his eight points in 13 games is still an excellent pace and one that starts to put him back into the conversation about top-flight offensive defenders. Keep him active.

Oct 25: Burns posted an assist in Monday's shootout loss to the Kings, giving him four points in the last three games. Burns is off to a strong start with six points in eight games to begin the season. He has the offensive ability to make an impact and will continue to produce, but likely not at this rate.

Oct 20: Burns (foot) played 21:53 and was plus-1 with an assist in Tuesday's win over Vancouver. It sounds like he's a safe roll for now, as it's an injury that Burns will try to play through. We'll monitor his status in case things get worse, but he's already chipped in three points through the Wild's first five contests.

Oct 18: Burns suffered a broken foot in Saturday's loss to the Blue Jackets but was practicing Monday, according to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. We would imagine it's not a serious break if Burns was able to practice. The Wild don't have a game Monday, but play on Tuesday. We would consider Burns questionable for that one at this time.

Oct 16: Burns left Saturday's loss to the Blue Jackets due to a foot injury after blocking a shot, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He left the arena with a boot on his foot, so it looks like he could miss a game or two.

Mar 21: Burns, who hadn't played since March 9 due to a hip injury, was able to play in Sunday's win over Calgary. He registered an assist on the game-winning goal, so feel free to use Burns in your lineups next week. With 15 points in 37 games, Burns could be a sneaky play over the final few weeks if he's gone undetected on your league's free agent wire due to the large number of missed games.

Mar 21: Burns (hip) is listed as "possible," for Sunday's game against the Flames, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. Good news for the Wild, as it looks like Burns, who hasn't played since March 9, is getting close to a return.

Mar 17: Burns (hip) will not travel with the Wild for Thursday's game at Nashville, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He hasn't played since March 9 and there's no timetable for his return, so don't expect him back soon.

Mar 15: Burns (hip) is considered day-to-day and may not be able to play Tuesday against the Oilers, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "I have no idea," Richards said. "We're just taking it a day at a time. We probably won't have any answers tomorrow either, as far as the lineup for Tuesday." Check back on Tuesday for an update regarding Burns' availability for Tuesday's game.

Mar 12: Burns (hip) will not play Friday at Buffalo, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He did participate in Thursday's pre-game skate, so it sounds like he won't be out too long.

Mar 11: Burns (hip) will not play Thursday against Dallas, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Shane Hnidy (leg) is also out, so the Wild will be thin on blue line.

Mar 10: Burns (hip) is questionable for Thursday's game against Detroit, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns didn't practice Wednesday, but the practice was apparently very optional. Unlike his teammate Shane Hnidy, Burns is at least with the team as it heads to Detroit.

Mar 9: Burns hurt his hip in Tuesday's OT loss to the Panthers, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He missed the last 7:27 of regulation and all of overtime. Burns' season has already been marred by a concussion, so he doesn't need to be out for any length of time again after only playing in 36 games so far. Burns was also limited to 59 games last year, though he was fairly durable before that. Burns did manage an assist before departing.

Jan 22: Burns was on the ice for 13 minutes, 36 seconds in Thursday's loss to Detroit but didn't have a shot on goal. It was his first game since suffering a concussion on Nov. 18. He had just two full practices before his return, so it may take a few games before he's back to full speed.

Jan 21: Burns (concussion) is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday, the Wild's official site reports. Barring a last-minute setback, the game will be Burns' first since Nov. 20. You may want to give him a game or two to prove he's healthy before activating him, but there's a good chance his owner in your league got impatient and decided to cut bait.

Jan 19: Burns, who has missed 29 games with a concussion, returned to practice Tuesday, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. Burns now probably slots more in the day-to-day category, so he might be sneaky speculative pickup for those looking for a little blue line help.

Jan 18: Burns (concussion) will return to practice with the Wild on Tuesday or Wednesday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He's missed 29 games with a concussion and it will likely be weeks before he can return to a game, but at least he's finally making some progress.

Jan 16: Burns (concussion) has passed his neuro-psyche baseline test, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. This likely clears him to return to practice, but there's been no timetable released for the next step in his recovery. He's been skating and working out on his own. Still, this sounds like a significant benchmark in his potential return.

Jan 15: Burns (concussion) hasn't been medically cleared to return to practice, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. He's been skating and working out on his own, but given his lengthy history of concussions, Burns will be monitored with the utmost caution.

Jan 4: Burns (concussion) will travel Sunday with the Wild to Chicago, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. It's unclear if he'll practice Monday, so he's still a few days from returning to game action.

Dec 31: Burns (concussion) has skated three or four days in a row, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. It sounds like he's getting close to skating in practice, but there's still no timetable for his return.

Dec 28: Burns (concussion) has begun light workouts on his own, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. There's no timetable for his return, but at least it sounds like he's starting to make some progress.

Dec 5: Burns (concussion) may not return until after January 1, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. He recently had a small setback in his efforts to return. Given that Burns has suffered multiple concussions in his career, the Wild are going to proceed with a lot of caution as they try to get him back into the lineup.

Nov 24: Burns (concussion) was placed on injured reserve and is out indefinitely. "We don't know the severity of it," head coach Todd Richards told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Burns missed the final 19 games of last season due to a concussion, so it's possible he could be out an extended period of time if tests show this concussion is serious.

Nov 23: Burns has been diagnosed with a concussion, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns missed Friday's game after becoming ill, but the ailment was later found to be a concussion which he thinks he suffered on Wednesday. It sounds like he'll miss several games as a result.

Nov 20: Burns missed Friday's game due to illness, the Associated Press reports. The Wild are off until Wednesday, so unless it's the swine flu we assume Burns will be good for the next batch of games.

Oct 31: Burns, who had gotten off to an extremely sluggish start this season, picked up an assist Saturday to give him five points in his last seven games. Most importantly, he's only been minus-4 in that span, something that has really haunted him this season. He was minus-9 with a single assist in his first seven games. His overall plus-minus is still minus-13 but maybe, just maybe, he has started to turn the corner. Roll him in all formats except those with plus-minus. In those, consider his opponents in your decision to activate or rest him. He's up against the best on the other team.

Oct 25: Burns had two assists, one on the power play, in Saturday's victory over Carolina. Burns had just one point through his first seven games but he's woken up this week, with a power-play goal and two assists.

Oct 22: Burns scored on a power-play goal in Wednesday's win over Colorado. Burns has just two points in eight games as he's had a disappointing start to the season. It was thought he'd be a primary beneficiary of Minnesota's move from a defense trap system to a much more open attack, so hopefully this goal gets him going.

Oct 7: Burns had an assist in Tuesday's win over Anaheim. Burns has just five shots and one point in the Wild's first two games, but he may become the biggest beneficiary of Minnesota's move from a defense trap system to a much more open attack once the Wild get more comfortable with the switch.

Sep 25: Burns recorded a goal in Minnesota's preseason loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. Providing that he is over his concussion from the end of last season Burns could have a nice bounce back year. He is a great candidate to break 40 points.

Sep 14: Burns was on the ice during the first day of training camp after missing the final 19 games of last season due to a concussion. It looks like a summer of rest has him back to full speed.

Jun 8: Burns, who missed the final 19 games of the season due to a concussion, has been symptom-free for more than a month, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "There's still a long way to go. It's a long summer. But I feel like I'm on the right path," Burns said. "I should be good." For the first time in months, Burns is able to partake in physical activity, often joining teammate Derek Boogaard for morning bike rides. He's also recovering from shoulder surgery, but is now out of the sling he wore for five weeks. After such an injury-riddled campaign, it'll be hard to commit to Burns come draft day, but he appears to be on the road to recovery. Continue to monitor the situation in the offseason, as he could be a late-round steal if his recovery stays setback free.

Apr 22: In addition to missing the final month of the season due to post-concussion syndrome, Burns recently had shoulder surgery that will sidelined him four months, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He's got time to recover to be ready for the start of next season, but his health is something to monitor this summer.

Apr 8: Burns is out for the remainder of the regular season, the Minneapolis-St.Paul Star Tribune reports. With just two games left in the Wilds' regular season and Burns still out of practice, this news isn't too big of a surprise.

Mar 23: Burns missed his ninth consecutive game on Sunday and can't even work out due to symptoms from a concussion, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. There's no timetable for his return. He looks certain to miss the next 10 games of the regular season and likely any playoff games as well.

Mar 17: Burns (concussion like symptoms) will not play in Tuesday's game against Colorado, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. There's no timetable for his return. He may not play again this season if the Wild fade from the playoff race.

Mar 14: Burns (concussion like symptoms) will not play in Saturday's game at Dallas, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. There's no timetable for his return and it sounds like his return for the rest of the regular season may be doubt.

Mar 11: Burns met with doctors for further examination on Wednesday, the Star Tribune reports. Burns has been kept out of the Wild's lineup for the past three games due to headaches and concussion-like symptoms. Considering the severity of his symptoms, it is unlikely he will make it out to the Wild's next game in Colorado on Thursday.

Mar 10: Burns will not play Thursday due to concussion-like symptoms, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He's missed three games to what was listed as an illness, but now looks like a more serious problem. He could be out awhile as a result.

Mar 10: Burns missed Tuesday's loss to the Sharks with an illness, the Associated Press reports. It was Burns third consecutive game missed due to the illness. He visited a doctor on Tuesday for further evaluation, but the results are still unknown.

Mar 10: Burns (illness) is questionable for Tuesday's game against San Jose, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. It looks like he'll be a game-time decision.

Mar 9: Burns (illness) missed Sunday's win at Anaheim. He's day to day and may not be ready for Tuesday's game against San Jose.

Mar 8: Burns (illness) should be available for Sunday's game at Anaheim, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He missed Saturday's game due to an illness. We'd be careful before activating him again and make sure he returns to the ice first.

Mar 7: Burns will miss Saturday's game against the Kings due to an illness, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Kurtis Foster will play for the first time this season as a result.

Feb 26: Burns left practice on Thursday due to the flu and is probable for Friday's game at Calgary, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Kurtis Foster could return to the ice if Burns can't play.

Jan 1: Burns got the game-winning goal and two assists in Wednesday's 3-2 overtime win against San Jose. Burns snapped a seven-game scoreless streak with Wednesday's outburst. After scoring 43 points last season with a plus-12, fantasy owners have to be disappointed with his 14 points and minus-8 in 32 games thus far. He will end up with 30-35 points and is a good start most nights, but owners were likely expecting more out of him this season.

Dec 17: Burns is being moved back to defense for Wednesday's game against Calgary, according to TSN.ca. Marian Gaborik is ready to return, so assuming Gaborik remains fairly healthy -- never a sure thing -- Burns could be back on defense for good. He's been playing mostly forward since Oct 30, and put up eight points in 17 games while playing up front. Considering he was a 43-point scorer on defense last season, it's not like the move back should change his production a great deal.

Dec 13: Burns scored the Wild's lone goal Saturday against the Kings. It came on the power play; it's his fifth goal of the season. He has just 11 points this season but that's largely a function of his incredible versatility -- he's been rolling at forward for a while now. Sure, he has talent up there but he's a force when he's on the blue line. His owners should focus their karma on Marian Gaborik -- when the winger returns, Burns will return to his rightful place as blue line stud.

Dec 13: Burns will return to being a defenseman when Marian Gaborik returns from a lower body injury, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. This isn't big surprise, but be prepared for the position change when Gaborik returns at some point in the next week or two.

Dec 5: Although Burns has only played forward since Oct. 30, the Wild plan to make him a defenseman again. "His impact in the game is more substantial on the blue line than it is up front,"GM Doug Risebrough told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "This is more of a need right now, and we've told Burnzie that." Burns has been needed as a forward with Marian Gaborik hurt and the Wild lacking offense. However, Burns has just six points as a forward in 11 games, but had four points in nine games as a defenseman.

Dec 1: Burns ended a nine-game goal drought on Monday while adding an assist in the loss to Colorado. Burns has been going through some rough patches lately, but coach Jacques Lemaire is encouraging the towering blue liner to fire away from the point. Look for his scoring pace to pick up and he appears safe to remain active.

Nov 24: Burns picked up two helpers in a 4-3 win over the Capitals. Burns appears to be over his upper body injury and should be active in all leagues. Also, he has been seeing some playing time at winger, so don't be surprised if you see a boost in production in the near future from the third year pro.

Nov 14: Burns (upper body) had two shots on goal in Thursday's win over Phoenix and will play wing for the immediate future. "He might go back on defense after a little while, but right now, it gives us three good lines," head coach Jacques Lemaire told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Burns had missed the previous four games due to the injury. He skated on a line with Eric Belanger and Andrew Brunette.

Nov 13: Burns (upper body) will play Thursday and will get playing time at wing, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He skated on a line with Andrew Brunette and Eric Belanger in practice on Wednesday. He'll also play as a defenseman as well.

Nov 11: Burns (upper body) returned to practice on Tuesday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. It looks like he could play on Thursday. Still, you may want to see him actually play in a game before activating him for your lineup since the Wild have given out little information on his injury.

Nov 10: Burns (upper body injury) did not practice on Monday, but is skating on his own and could play Thursday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Not much is known about his injury, so it's best to wait to see him return for a game before activating him for your lineup.

Nov 6: Burns (upper body) will not play Thursday and will also miss Saturday's game, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He must have had a setback because he was seen as probable for Tuesday's game, but then did not play and now will miss two additional games. However, the Wild are being tight lipped about his injury.

Nov 5: Burns (upper body) rode an exercise bike on Wednesday, but is unlikely to play Thursday against Denver, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Star Tribune also describes the injury as a "middle body." Don't count on him playing until he gets back to full practice.

Nov 4: Burns (upper body) missed Tuesday's loss to San Jose. It was thought he could return for this game after suffering the injury in pregame warmups before Saturday's game, so he may not be out too much longer.

Nov 4: Burns (upper body) missed practice on Monday, but could play Tuesday, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He missed Saturday's game with the injury, which he suffered in pregame warmups. There was a report on Sunday that he would play, but now it looks less certain.

Nov 2: Burns (upper body) is expected to play Tuesday in San Jose, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns missed Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury after getting hurt in pregame warmups. Luckily, the injury doesn't sound serious.

Nov 1: Burns missed Saturday's win over Phoenix after suffering an "upper body" injury during warmups, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Star Tribune speculates that he was hit by a puck. Tomas Mojzis took his spot in the lineup, but later left with an uppper body injury of his own.

Oct 31: Burns scored a goal in Thursday's loss to Montreal and played some shifts at wing. With Owen Nolan hurt, the Wild were short of forwards. This was probably just a one-game appearance for Burns at wing.

Oct 29: Burns had two shots on goal in Wednesday's loss to Dallas. He played despite leaving Monday's game in the second period with a "lower body" injury. Luckily this doesn't look like a serious injury.

Oct 28: Burns (lower body) missed practice on Tuesday, but did travel with the Wild ahead of Wednesday's game at Dallas, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He left Monday's game in the second period with a "lower body" injury, but not much else is known about the extent of the ailment.

Oct 28: Burns left Monday's win over Chicago in the second period with a "lower body" injury, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns scored his second goal of the season before departing. No word yet on the severity of the injury as the Wild have tightened up on giving out injury information this season.

Oct 23: Burns buried his first goal of the season, a power-play effort, in a 4-3 OT loss to Buffalo. Burns has plenty of time left to eclipse the 15-goal mark he reached last year.

Oct 1: Burns (left elbow) scored a shorthanded goal in Wednesday's preseason win over Buffalo. It was his first preseason game after surgery in early September to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. It looks like he'll be ready for the start of the regular season.

Sep 26: Burns (left elbow) has been cleared for full contact and could play in Sunday's preseason game, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. It looks like Burns will be ready for the start of the regular season after surgery in early September to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

Sep 21: Burns (left elbow) participated in the first day of training camp but hasn't been cleared for full contact, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Burns was thought to be out until mid-October after surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, but now it looks like he'll be ready for the start of the regular season.

Sep 16: Burns (left elbow) skated in a scrimmage on Tuesday and looks on track to participate in the start of training camp, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. he would thought to be out until mid-October after surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, but it looks like he could be ready much sooner.

Sep 4: Burns will miss at least four weeks after surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He could miss the start of the regular season as a result.

May 18: Burns was named the best defenceman of the 2008 IIHF World Championship that concluded Sunday. The emerging defender led the plus-minus derby (plus-14) and scored 3 goals and 6 assists in 9 games, including two tallies in the final game against Russia. Strangely enough, he was not selected to the tourney All-Star team which was selected by the media. Instead, Tomas Kaberle (Czech) and Mike Green (Canada) got the nod there. Burns continues to develop into one of the preeminent defensive stars in the NHL. Keeper leaguers need to hold him close to your hearts... unless you can get a buck-fifty on the dollar for his name right now.

Mar 17: Burns lit the lamp for his 14th goal of the season in Minnesota's 3-1 win over Colorado on Monday evening. Burns also added a helper and has six points (3G, 3A) in his last six games.

Feb 29: Burns posted a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-2 win over Florida. Burns snapped a 10-game goalless drought that also saw the promising youngster post one point in that span. Burns has had some slumps, but he's closing in on a 40-point season.

Dec 15: Burns had a goal and an assist in Friday's win over Anaheim. He had gone five games without a goal or assist. Burns had eight points in 14 games in November, but struggled along with the rest of the Wild offense in December. Hopefully Friday's game sparks a turnaround.

Nov 19: Burns scored his fifth goal of the season in Sunday's win over Colorado. Burns had a career-high seven goals last season, so he's fulfilling his promise as a break-out player.

Nov 3: Burns had two assists in Saturday's win over Calgary. Burns started quickly with three goals in his first seven games, then went without a point in four consecutive games, and now has three assists in his last two games. It looks like the return of Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra have him back on track.

Oct 26: Burns did not participate in practice on Friday, but rode on a stationary bike because of a charley horse which limited him in Thursday's game, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He's still expected to play on Saturday.

Oct 25: Burns signed a four-year, $14.2 million extension with the Wild, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Wild likely made a good move locking him as he's in the midst of a breakout season with three goals in his first nine games.

Oct 20: Burns scored his third goal of the season in Saturday's win over the Blues. He played almost 25 minutes and was plus-2. Get this guy now or forever hold your peace -- he is the next elite young defender and will soon join the ranks of Dion Phaneuf and Shea Weber. Don't believe us? Watch him play.

Oct 10: Burns scored his second goal in three games in Wednesday's win over Edmonton and was a plus-two. Burns came on strong late last season with seven points in 15 games in March and had a strong preseason. So far, he's picking up where he left off.

Sep 30: Burns had a hat trick in Sunday's preseason finale against St. Louis. Two of his goals came on the power play. Burns came on strong late last season with seven points in 15 games in March and seemed to finally earn the confidence of head coach Jacques Lemaire. He's continued to look like a breakout candidate this preseason.

Mar 25: Burns scored his sixth goal of the season and third in seven games in the Wild's win over the Kings on Saturday. During the Wild's nine-game winning streak, Burns has three goals and two assists, including two overtime goals, the St.Paul Pioneer Press reports. The 22-year-old and previously highly touted youngster is starting to arrive. He's mostly worked on defense first, but now his offense is starting to come around and he does have a good slap shot, which may get him more power play time in the future (he usually only gets about a minute of PP time per game currently). He may be an option in deeper leagues now, and an even better one in deeper leagues next season.

Mar 13: Burns scored an overtime goal for the second consecutive game in Tuesday's win over Vancouver. He now has two goals and three assists in March. Burns isn't known for his offense, but he's been drawing raves recently from head coach Jacques Lemaire for his defense and overall play. At age 22, he seems to have elevated his game to another level since midseason and may be a sleeper for next year.

Feb 26: Burns scored a goal in Sunday's win over Edmonton and head coach Jacque Lemaire says he has growing confidence in his defensive play, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. It was just his third goal of the season, but his plus-6 rating is a sign of his improvement on defense. At just 21, there's still time for him to develop the skills on offense to make him more of a fantasy factor.

Dec 11: Burns played as a defenseman during Saturday's win over Chicago and will play on the blue line for the foreseeable future, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. The Wild had said they planned on keeping him on the blue line all season, but he moved to wing after several injuries. Expect him to contiue to alternate positions.

Oct 21: Burns played right wing in Saturday's loss to Anaheim. The Wild had said he was only going to play on the blue line this year, but a number of recent injuries made him move to forward. Head coach Jacques Lemaire says it's only a temporary move. At either position, Burns isn't getting enough ice time for viable fantasy value in almost any league.

Oct 8: Burns has been a healthy scratch in the Wild's first two games. Burns looks too far down on the depth chart for fantasy value at this point.

Jul 8: Burns signed a two-year, $1.65 million contract with the Wild, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He's expected to play as a defenseman this season after splitting time between the blue line and forward last year.