Penguins Could Add 1,300-Game NHL Veteran After Difficult Ending With Last Team
Photo credit: The Hockey Writers
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance to sign defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who had a falling out with the San Jose Sharks after they bought out his contract.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have the chance to sign a longtime NHL veteran who was recently cut loose by his old club, as the San Jose Sharks bought out the last year of defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic's contract.
Taken with the 35th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Sharks, Vlasic has spent his entire NHL career with the team and played in 1,323 games and gone on multiple postseason runs.
Vlasic was unhappy with Sharks management over not being informed earlier about the chances of his deal being bought out.
They told me that I played well, especially defensively, and that they liked that I was a mentor to the young guys. They told me they wanted me to do that next year, so when I left, I thought I'd come back. It would have been honest of them to tell me right after the season, 'By the way, we may (buy out your contract), so prepare your house.' Instead, they did it on June 30.
It was a difficult ending to Vlasic's longtime tour of duty with the Sharks, but it doesn't sound like he plans on retiring any time soon.
Sharks GM Mike Grier said it was difficult to buy out Vlasic's contract
Vlasic, who had signed an 8 year contract with the Sharks in July of 2017, had the final year of his deal bought out by GM Mike Grier this summer.
Grier said that it was a difficult decision given the years of service that Vlasic had given the team.
This was a difficult decision to make today with how much Marc has meant to the San Jose organization for 19 years. I was fortunate enough to be here with Marc for his first season with the Sharks and knew he would become a great defenseman.
Vlasic, who played against the Penguins in the 2016 SCF, could be an interesting option for GM Kyle Dubas.
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