Minnesota Wild (2003–2011)

Upon turning professional with the Wild in 2003, Burns was converted to defence by defensively-minded Minnesota Head Coach Jacques Lemaire. He made his NHL debut with the Wild on October 8, 2003, against the Chicago Blackhawks, and scored his first NHL goal in his third game, against the Sharks.^[4] Burns played in 36 games with Minnesota in the 2003–04 season, showing flashes of natural ability in rushing from the blueline.^[5]

After spending the 2004–05 NHL lock-out in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Houston Aeros, Burns adapted as a defenceman and earned a regular spot on the Wild roster for the 2005–06 season, contributing 16 points in 72 games.

In the 2006–07 season, Burns eclipsed his previous season's points total with 25 and became a significant force for the Wild in the latter months of the season, scoring back-to-back overtime winners in March and engaging in two fights during the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs.^[6]

On October 25, 2007, during the 2007–08 season, Burns signed a four-year contract extension with the Wild.^[7] He emerged as one of the Wild's top defencemen, scoring a career-high 15 goals and 43 points.

In the 2008–09 season, Burns was regularly shifted between forward and defence with mild success before he was eventually hampered by a concussion that caused him to miss the final 19 games of the regular season.^[8] Burns's concussion was later a point of scrutiny when his agent, Ron Salcer, stipulated that Wild staff had misdiagnosed his symptoms for six weeks with sinusitis, putting Burns at an increased health risk.^[9] Burns then had shoulder surgery upon the completion of the Wild season.^[10] He finished the injury-marred season with 27 points.

Burns suffered another concussion briefly into his 2009–10 season, beginning to skate again only on January 14.^[11] He finished another injury-filled season with 20 points in 47 games. On November 12, 2010, Burns was suspended for two games for hitting Florida Panthers forward Steve Bernier. Burns hit Bernier on the chin with the knob of the stick, causing Bernier to bleed profusely.

San Jose Sharks (2011–2022)

During the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Burns, along with a second-round draft pick in 2012, was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle and a first-round pick in 2011.^[12] With a year still left in his contract with the Wild, Burns signed a five-year contract extension on August 1, 2011, with the Sharks; the deal would pay him $28.8 million over five years, with an average salary cap figure of $5.76 million.^[13]

In 2013, after rookie defenceman Matt Irwin's acquisition by the Sharks, in March, Burns was moved to forward, where he scored 20 points in 23 regular season games.^[14]

In the 2013–14 season, Burns played the first eight games of the season, but missed 13 games after October 21 due to sore gums.^[15][16] On November 21, Burns returned to the Sharks' line-up and scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5–1 winning effort. On November 29, against the St. Louis Blues, Burns recorded his first career hat-trick in a 6–3 victory.^[17]

In August 2014, the Sharks announced that Burns would move back to defence^[18] where he scored 17 goals and finished tied for second among NHL defencemen with 60 points. Burns also won the NHL Foundation Player Award for outstanding charitable and community work.^[19]

He had a breakout season in 2015–16, finishing with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists), then had 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Sharks reach the Final for the first time since entering the NHL in 1991.^[4]

On November 22, 2016, Burns signed an eight-year $64 million contract extension with the Sharks through 2024–25, with an average annual value of $8 million per year.^[20]

In 2017, Burns won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman. He was also nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, awarded annually to the league's best player as voted by the National Hockey League Players Association.

He played in his 1,000th career game on December 27, 2018, in a 4–2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.^[21]

Carolina Hurricanes (2022–present)

On July 13, 2022, the Sharks traded Burns and Lane Pederson to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Steven Lorentz, goaltending prospect Eetu Mäkiniemi, and a third-round selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.^[22] On January 29, 2023, Burns played his 1,300th NHL game.^[23]