- Editor's note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Brent Burns forever will be linked with the San Jose Sharks.
It’s not just the 2017 Norris Trophy or being the franchise leader in goals, assists and points by a defenseman.
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It’s not just the beard, the backpack or the ESPN The Magazine “Body” issue.
It’s not just the possibility that his No. 88 could join Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau in the SAP Center rafters one day.
The now-Carolina Hurricanes star also is why Rick Celebrini, Macklin Celebrini’s father, chose to work for the Golden State Warriors instead of the San Antonio Spurs in the summer of 2018.
Burns spoke one-on-one with San Jose Hockey Now on Tuesday, before the Sharks take on the Canes to talk about his connection with the Celebrinis, the Sharks’ franchise starting to turn things around and his thoughts about Jumbo’s recent jersey retirement.
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Burns on the Sharks starting to turn it around as a franchise:
"It's great. It's a special place. You got some really special guys there. Seeing that come back, it's nice, it's good ... hopefully not that good tonight.
"The Tank has always been an incredible place, a special organization, with that logo. It's great to see."
Burns on if he was happy to see the Sharks get the No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini:
"Yeah, it was really cool how they did it with Jumbo. It's great for the fanbase there that, they really do bleed teal. It's a special place.
"Even for Macklin, it's a special thing with the way that worked out with his dad [working] there, being close to home, and a lot of the relationships that he had. A little bit more comfortable for him. It's a great thing, how things seem to work out."
Burns on telling Rick Celebrini in the summer of 2018, when Rick was choosing between the Warriors and Spurs, about the Jr. Sharks program, which is why Rick chose to settle in the Bay Area over Texas:
"His dad was a huge help for me [before 2018]. A little conversation about it, and kind of cool to know I was maybe just a little, small part of that."
Burns on the next Sharks legend, besides himself, who should have his jersey retired:
"No, I mean ... I know it was a really, really special weekend for Jumbo, his family and everybody around him. I know how great of a job the Sharks did, the people behind the scenes. Rosemary [Tebaldi], Scotty [Emmert].
"They did it right, my family was able to go and be a part of it, to see first-hand. That's awesome. I know from the stories from them and from other players and stuff that were there, just how incredible it was. And really it's just so deserving. He is one-of-one, and just such a special guy.
"I can't wait to be able to be there and just look up and see it. That weekend, I was bummed I wasn't able to see it firsthand. But just hearing some of the stories and then being forced to kind of look back at some of the stories that you forgot about, he's one-of-one. He's such a special guy.
"To hear everybody, to a guy, say he's No. 1 as a teammate, as a player, as a person, it was very cool to see."
Burns on what it says about Thornton that his family and [Tomas] Hertl’s wife were there for the jersey retirement, even if the players weren’t:
"It's not just Jumbo, but it was [wife] Tabea. The kids are close. It really is just a special family. He just meant so much to that whole area and the community, and still does. Those two guys, Patty and Jumbo, it's very rare. It's very special that they're up there together. Very, very cool."
Burns on the time that he and Jumbo were walking around town, and got a ride from a sewer truck:
"It's funny, because when [the jersey retirement hoopla] is all happening, you remember 5-10 stories, but there's really thousands of them, right?
"You'll hear another guy say, 'Oh, I can't believe I forgot about that. That was unreal.' It's so funny.
"There's just so many with him. He just truly loved being around the guys and being at the rink.
"I heard in his interview with Tabea, on an off-day, he'd go in [to the Sharks facility] and shower. It was just like, he's got this unbelievable house. (Laughs) He would just go in and shower, just to see who's in there.
"He's just a special guy."