Wild's Brent Burns Feeling Better After Concussion, Shoulder Surgery

The offseason sure has been interesting for the Minnesota Wild. The front office was overhauled, with former Pittsburgh aide Chuck Fletcher taking over as general manager and hiring Todd Richards as head coach.

Changes have come to the Wild on the ice, too, but one of the more notable developments of the offseason involves a player who has been with the Wild ever since he was drafted.

There was some acrimony last spring over the treatment of defenseman Brent Burns, who had a concussion, as well as shoulder problems. That concussion, according to his agent, went untreated by the Wild for six weeks, as they allowed him to continue playing.

By June, Burns' recovery was going well, and now he's healthy enough to head to Canada for that country's Olympic evaluation camp.

"[My shoulder] still has some awkward times, but for the most part, it feels pretty good and I've been able to do everything. I'm in really good shape right now...I've been really watching my diet lately and it's made a big difference and I feel really good."

More importantly, Burns continues to be free of concussion symptoms.

This is obviously good news for Wild fans, who are looking forward to watching Burns play in a more offensive system being installed by Richards. Burns should be allowed more freedom to jump into the play, and his overall numbers should improve.

As for his chances of making Team Canada, the selections won't be made during this camp, and Burns should have some opportunity to show what he can do once he's healthy and ready to play in October.