SAN JOSE — There have been times this season when Sharks defenseman Brent Burns has joined the rush on offense and Paul Martin has thought it might not be the most prudent move.

Martin has found out, though, that the reward has usually outweighed the risk.

“You see him and you’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if he should go.’ But then the play works out and he makes a good play,” Martin said of his defense partner. “For him, it’s just go, and he makes that decision quick.”

The Sharks have defensemen who can jump into a play and create scoring chances, but none are quite like Burns. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he possesses a rare combination for a defenseman of size, speed and stickhandling ability, making him one of the more threatening players in the NHL with the puck in his possession.

Going into Wednesday’s game against the Nashville Predators, Burns, after eight games, leads the Sharks in ice time per game at 25 minutes and 54 seconds and shots on goal with 35. Both are among the top 10 in the league. He also leads all Sharks defensemen with five points.

The key for Burns is finding a balance between being aggressive without “crossing the line into reckless,” as coach Pete DeBoer said last week before the Sharks played the Los Angeles Kings.

DeBoer liked what he saw from Burns on Saturday in the Sharks’ 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Back with Martin, who missed three games because of a lower body injury, Burns had two assists and blocked three shots.

“Very good reads. Real smart decisions,” DeBoer said of Burns’ play. “I thought our whole group did. It’s not just him. … We have good offensive players, players that have historically put up numbers. We have to all, as a group, make sure we’re walking that line where we’re not cheating to the offensive side too much.

“At the same time, we need to score some goals, too.”

Burns knows that most NHL teams are good enough on defense to stop a 3-on-3. But a distinct advantage is created when a defenseman can jump up and join his three forwards on a rush.

One of the four attacking players can eliminate one of the defenders to create a 3-on-2, or, if the three backcheckers take on the forwards straight up, the fourth attacker is left open.

“You need to be pushing the pace to create openings for the forwards,” Burns said. Otherwise, “It’s just too hard to create.

“In practice, when you do a 3-on-3 rush, rarely do you score. When it’s 4-on-3, now there are goals all the time.”

Burns did almost have a highlight-reel goal in 3-on-3 overtime when the Sharks played the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 16.

Burns took a pass from Joe Pavelski to the right of the Devils’ net, skated around Adam Henrique, put the puck through Adam Larsson, stickhandled toward the net and nearly beat goalie Cory Schneider for the game-winning goal.

Not all NHL defensemen can do that.

Burns did get the winner in the shootout, though, as he used his reach to beat Schneider with a nifty forehand-to-backhand move.

“When you play with him, you kind of feel that presence on the ice and the extra space at times,” Pavelski said. “And when you get him the puck, he makes good plays.”

Burns said, “You have to create that open space and you have to be able to push. With that comes risk. But with that risk, you’re going to be creating a lot more opportunities. Even if you’re not involved in the play, you’re still going to be opening space for the forwards and creating things.

“It’s all about making sure that you’re creating more than you’re giving up.”

For more on the Sharks, see the Working the Corners blog at . Follow Curtis Pashelka on Twitter at .

SAN JOSE — There have been times this season when Sharks defenseman Brent Burns has joined the rush on offense and Paul Martin has thought it might not be the most prudent move.

Martin has found out, though, that the reward has usually outweighed the risk.

“You see him and you’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if he should go.’ But then the play works out and he makes a good play,” Martin said of his defense partner. “For him, it’s just go, and he makes that decision quick.”

The Sharks have defensemen who can jump into a play and create scoring chances, but none are quite like Burns. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he possesses a rare combination for a defenseman of size, speed and stickhandling ability, making him one of the more threatening players in the NHL with the puck in his possession.

Going into Wednesday’s game against the Nashville Predators, Burns, after eight games, leads the Sharks in ice time per game at 25 minutes and 54 seconds and shots on goal with 35. Both are among the top 10 in the league. He also leads all Sharks defensemen with five points.

The key for Burns is finding a balance between being aggressive without “crossing the line into reckless,” as coach Pete DeBoer said last week before the Sharks played the Los Angeles Kings.

DeBoer liked what he saw from Burns on Saturday in the Sharks’ 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Back with Martin, who missed three games because of a lower body injury, Burns had two assists and blocked three shots.

“Very good reads. Real smart decisions,” DeBoer said of Burns’ play. “I thought our whole group did. It’s not just him. … We have good offensive players, players that have historically put up numbers. We have to all, as a group, make sure we’re walking that line where we’re not cheating to the offensive side too much.

“At the same time, we need to score some goals, too.”

Burns knows that most NHL teams are good enough on defense to stop a 3-on-3. But a distinct advantage is created when a defenseman can jump up and join his three forwards on a rush.

One of the four attacking players can eliminate one of the defenders to create a 3-on-2, or, if the three backcheckers take on the forwards straight up, the fourth attacker is left open.

“You need to be pushing the pace to create openings for the forwards,” Burns said. Otherwise, “It’s just too hard to create.

“In practice, when you do a 3-on-3 rush, rarely do you score. When it’s 4-on-3, now there are goals all the time.”

Burns did almost have a highlight-reel goal in 3-on-3 overtime when the Sharks played the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 16.

Burns took a pass from Joe Pavelski to the right of the Devils’ net, skated around Adam Henrique, put the puck through Adam Larsson, stickhandled toward the net and nearly beat goalie Cory Schneider for the game-winning goal.

Not all NHL defensemen can do that.

Burns did get the winner in the shootout, though, as he used his reach to beat Schneider with a nifty forehand-to-backhand move.

“When you play with him, you kind of feel that presence on the ice and the extra space at times,” Pavelski said. “And when you get him the puck, he makes good plays.”

Burns said, “You have to create that open space and you have to be able to push. With that comes risk. But with that risk, you’re going to be creating a lot more opportunities. Even if you’re not involved in the play, you’re still going to be opening space for the forwards and creating things.

“It’s all about making sure that you’re creating more than you’re giving up.”

For more on the Sharks, see the Working the Corners blog at . Follow Curtis Pashelka on Twitter at .

SAN JOSE — There have been times this season when Sharks defenseman Brent Burns has joined the rush on offense and Paul Martin has thought it might not be the most prudent move.

Martin has found out, though, that the reward has usually outweighed the risk.

“You see him and you’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if he should go.’ But then the play works out and he makes a good play,” Martin said of his defense partner. “For him, it’s just go, and he makes that decision quick.”

The Sharks have defensemen who can jump into a play and create scoring chances, but none are quite like Burns. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he possesses a rare combination for a defenseman of size, speed and stickhandling ability, making him one of the more threatening players in the NHL with the puck in his possession.

Going into Wednesday’s game against the Nashville Predators, Burns, after eight games, leads the Sharks in ice time per game at 25 minutes and 54 seconds and shots on goal with 35. Both are among the top 10 in the league. He also leads all Sharks defensemen with five points.

The key for Burns is finding a balance between being aggressive without “crossing the line into reckless,” as coach Pete DeBoer said last week before the Sharks played the Los Angeles Kings.

DeBoer liked what he saw from Burns on Saturday in the Sharks’ 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Back with Martin, who missed three games because of a lower body injury, Burns had two assists and blocked three shots.

“Very good reads. Real smart decisions,” DeBoer said of Burns’ play. “I thought our whole group did. It’s not just him. … We have good offensive players, players that have historically put up numbers. We have to all, as a group, make sure we’re walking that line where we’re not cheating to the offensive side too much.

“At the same time, we need to score some goals, too.”

Burns knows that most NHL teams are good enough on defense to stop a 3-on-3. But a distinct advantage is created when a defenseman can jump up and join his three forwards on a rush.

One of the four attacking players can eliminate one of the defenders to create a 3-on-2, or, if the three backcheckers take on the forwards straight up, the fourth attacker is left open.

“You need to be pushing the pace to create openings for the forwards,” Burns said. Otherwise, “It’s just too hard to create.

“In practice, when you do a 3-on-3 rush, rarely do you score. When it’s 4-on-3, now there are goals all the time.”

Burns did almost have a highlight-reel goal in 3-on-3 overtime when the Sharks played the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 16.

Burns took a pass from Joe Pavelski to the right of the Devils’ net, skated around Adam Henrique, put the puck through Adam Larsson, stickhandled toward the net and nearly beat goalie Cory Schneider for the game-winning goal.

Not all NHL defensemen can do that.

Burns did get the winner in the shootout, though, as he used his reach to beat Schneider with a nifty forehand-to-backhand move.

“When you play with him, you kind of feel that presence on the ice and the extra space at times,” Pavelski said. “And when you get him the puck, he makes good plays.”

Burns said, “You have to create that open space and you have to be able to push. With that comes risk. But with that risk, you’re going to be creating a lot more opportunities. Even if you’re not involved in the play, you’re still going to be opening space for the forwards and creating things.

“It’s all about making sure that you’re creating more than you’re giving up.”

For more on the Sharks, see the Working the Corners blog at . Follow Curtis Pashelka on Twitter at .