Sharks Place Marc-Edouard Vlasic on Waivers for Purpose of Buyout

The San Jose Sharks have placed long-time defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic on unconditional waivers for purpose of buying out the 38-year-old who is heading into the final year of an eight-year contract.

The Sharks and general manager, Mike Grier, released a statement regarding the transaction and how difficult it was to move on from Vlasic.

“This was a difficult decision to make today,” read the statement by Grier. “I was fortunate enough to be here with Marc for his first season with the Sharks, and knew he would become a great defenseman. Over the course of his career in the NHL, Vlasic was one of the premier shutdown defensemen, earning tough defensive assignments on the ice against the best players in the world and doing it with effectiveness.”

Vlasic was drafted 35th overall by the Sharks in 2005 and made his NHL debut during the 2006-07 season, playing in 81 games for the Sharks during his rookie season. He has since gone on to play 1,323 regular season games, scoring 84 goals 379 points while being one of the most reliable shutdown defensemen in the NHL over that span.

He has played the entirety of his 19 seasons with the Sharks and over that time has played internationally for Canada on six occasions, earning four medals – including two gold medals.

He’s also the NHL’s all-time leader in blocked shots, all of which came with the Sharks. That said, the buyout will save the team over $2.3 million in 2025-26, yet cost them over $1.16 in 2026-27 against the cap.

While there’s no indication that Vlasic has any intention to retire from the game of hockey, it certainly is the end of an era for Vlasic and the Sharks with this announcement.