One of the NHL’s most-intimidating players begged a stranger to pick up 100 burgers from McDonald’s

Sometimes being an NHL veteran is about more than displaying leadership on the ice or in the locker room. Sometimes it’s about walking in the freezing cold to pick up food for the team, needing to borrow a stranger’s car, and coming back with 100 cheeseburgers to be the hero everyone needs.

That’s precisely what happened with Brent Burns of the Carolina Hurricanes this weekend, who decided to take matters into his own hands when travel plans for the team got ruined. The incredible story comes from Dan Murphy or Sportsnet, who recounted Burns coming to the rescue.

The Hurricanes played the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, and were supposed to board a plane to Vancouver for the next leg of their road trip. Like most teams, the plan was to have their post-game meal on the flight — which would have been prearranged. However, problems with the plane itself left the flight grounded and forced the team to travel via bus from Seattle to Vancouver on Sunday.

It’s late at night, restaurants are closed, and a whole team of hockey players are starving after burning a day’s worth of calories on the ice. Action needed to be taken, and Burns was ready to be that guy. Jumping on his phone he placed a staggering McDonald’s order on his app, rumored to be at least 100 cheeseburgers. The idea was simple: He’d order the foot, walk to the restaurant — done, easy.

Just one problem: Dine-in was closed.

Brent Burns is now outside the McDonald’s with only the drive through open. “No problem,” he thinks, and walks through the drive through line, app in hand, ready to pick up the 100 burgers. At this point he’s told that they can’t serve him without a car.

Now Burns is wandering around the streets of Seattle, after midnight, desperately trying to find someone willing to take him through the drive through. That might not seem like much, but you have to remember that Brent Burns is an objectively terrifying looking man if you’re not aware he’s an NHL player, and widely-regarded as one of the sweetest guys in the league.

Seriously, imagine after midnight that this guy approaches your car:

Photo by Michael Mooney/NHLI via Getty Images

I’m not saying he always looks like this, but we’re talking about a large man, missing his front teeth, with a penchant for dressing like a steampunk inventor with a go bag. At the very best of times you’d be forgiven for rolling up your window.

Thankfully he found someone willing to give him a ride through the drive through and picked up all the food. Returning to the hotel a hero. The best part: Burns is refusing to admit it ever happened.

I tried to get Burns on camera to deliver the definitive details on this but he basically said “I don’t know what you’re talking about” with a grin on his face.

End.

— Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) October 28, 2024

Burns also added that he doesn’t eat McDonald’s, because he only eats lean red meat like venison and elk.

Brent Burns is a one-of-one man, teammate, and friend. Utter legend. We need to know everything now from the driver that took an NHL player on a joyride to get his food.