The Sharks have placed defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout. Should he clear, he is set to become an unrestricted free agent. His buyout will create $2.3 million in savings, while owing $ 1.6 million to Vlasic the following season.
It's a bittersweet day for Sharks fans, on one hand, Vlasic has struggled mightily on the ice for the past number of years, on the other, he is a Sharks legend and the last remaining piece from the old core, and a key piece in their run to the cup final in 2016.
Vlasic’s 1323 games played in teal sit 2nd in franchise history, at his peak he was not only the best defensive defenseman in Sharks history, but also in the NHL throughout the mid 2010’s. Getting Norris' consideration despite not having elite offensive numbers is a rarity in the modern game. Vlasic was a significant piece in their cup run in 2016, shutting down opposing top stars in every round.
Unfortunately for the Sharks the fall off was steep for Vlasic, as after the 2019 season his offense fell off a cliff and his defensive game was no longer elite like in years past. This made Vlasic’s 7 million dollar cap hit, he received on his 8 year extension in 2017, one of the worst contracts in the NHL. The Sharks will finally bite the bullet on the deal entering the final season.
This buyout is a little surprising on the surface. The Sharks have $41 million in and have little need for extra savings this offseason; it would have been easy to eat the final year of Vlasic’s deal and move off completely. Where it becomes complicated is roster space, the Sharks are looking to face-lift the worst defense core in hockey and currently have six waiver-eligible defenders that played games last season, in addition to Sam Dickinson, who shouldn't be in the OHL next season. Removing Vlasic slightly lessens the log jam on the back-end while creating extra savings, even if they are not needed.
While the Sharks won’t miss Vlasic on the ice, off the ice he will be a significant loss, the veteran has a lot of experience, and would have helped a young developing team off the ice. The Sharks still have work to do if they intend to reshape the blueline. Expect more moves in the coming days as free agency nears.