At 41 years old, Brent Burns is playing for his first Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche, and the stakes feel personal. Burns spent 22 years in the NHL without lifting the trophy, leaving San Jose as the last active member of a Sharks core that included Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, and Joe Thornton. That group reached the 2016 Stanley Cup Final but never won. Now in the Western Conference finals against the Vegas Golden Knights, Burns carries their unfinished business on his back.

Burns' 1,724-game career has been fueled by an almost obsessive routine. Teammates say he sleeps 10 hours nightly, carries an oversized camouflage backpack everywhere, and hunts his own meat on his ranch. Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon calls him a big bear who naps from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. NHL Norris Trophy winner in 2017, Burns transitioned from the Minnesota Wild to San Jose, then Carolina, before joining Colorado on a one-year deal last offseason.

Former Sharks teammates are pulling for him. Marleau said they're all watching, and Pavelski credits Burns with making San Jose fun through genuine care for teammates and relentless preparation. Burns acknowledged the connection: he wants the Cup for himself, for the Avs, and for the Sharks group that chased it for years. Game 2 against Vegas on Friday will test whether the Avalanche can stay alive.