SAN JOSE — Brent Burns is a more than willing participant in his own reinvention as the Sharks return him to the blue line after a full season at power forward.

But he acknowledged Saturday that he has a hard time choosing between his role last season as Joe Thornton’s linemate and the position that San Jose acquired him to play.

“I feel confident I could get 30 goals playing forward, but I also love the challenge of playing D and playing more than 20 minutes a game,” Burns said after the Sharks first scrimmage of training camp. “I love that challenge. I love being on the ice more. I think you control the game more as a defenseman than you do as a forward. It’s hard. Obviously I like both and you have fun playing as a forward, too.”

Burns was on defense Saturday, paired with veteran Scott Hannan. Coach Todd McLellan said he thought Burns was fine in his role, but added he recognized there would be an adjustment period.

“It will take him a little bit just to get comfortable there again,” McLellan said. “But, when I say a little bit, we’re not talking about Christmas. By the time we’ve done the exhibition season, he’ll be an All-Star defenseman again.”

Burns skated in the 2011 NHL All-Star game, then was acquired five months later by the Sharks , who valued his skills at both end of the ice. He struggled at times, and late in the 2012-13 season was switched to forward after an injury when the Sharks needing more scoring up front.

Shortly after the Sharks were eliminated from the playoffs in April, general manager Doug Wilson announced that Dan Boyle would not get a contract extension and Burns was going back to the blue line.

With 22 goals and 48 points in 69 games last season, Burns was San Jose’s fifth leading scorer. Still, he said he wasn’t surprised when told he would be changing positions.

“I think it’s great that people that know hockey think I can bring a lot to both positions.,” Burns said, adding later: “I just come to play hockey.”

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For more on the Sharks, see David Pollak’s Working the Corners blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks. Follow him at twitter.com/@PollakOnSharks.