DENVER (AP) — Brent Burns carries a lot of weight on his shoulders these days.

Not pressure-related or anything, just from his heavy, military-style backpack that’s crammed with all the necessities to keep the 40-year-old Colorado defenseman humming along.

The precise contents remain a mystery, but whatever’s stuffed inside sure is working. Burns, who’s embarking on his 22nd NHL season and first in Colorado, is slated to play in his 1,500th NHL game on Saturday against Dallas. Delving deeper, he hasn’t missed a contest since 2013, running his streak to 927 straight, which is the league’s fourth-longest “Iron Man” streak of all time.

Burns has been with the Avalanche for a short time and already he’s making his mark. The bushy-bearded, front-teeth-missing Burns is a social butterfly wh

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