As “the future is teal” era begins, Sharks fans say goodbye to the previous era.
Lost in all of the draft and free agency news, the San Jose Sharks bought out the final year of Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s contract. It was a bit of a surprising move on GM Mike Grier’s part.
The Sharks signed Vlasic to an eight-year, $56 million contract in the summer of 2017. Vlasic earned that contract after his stellar performance in the 2016 playoffs. He was paired with Justin Braun, and they formed the best shutdown defensive pair in hockey that spring. They helped lead the Sharks to their first and only Stanley Cup Final appearance.
The good time would not last, though. After a couple of years, Vlasic’s contract would become one of the worst in hockey. Once the team imploded at the turn of the decade, it became the worst contract in hockey.
With Vlasic, you cannot judge his production by his numbers. He was never much of an offensive defenseman.
He shone by being able to shut down opposing teams’ top lines. But when his defense started to slip, that was when it got ugly.
PHOTO: San Jose Sharks/FacebookOnce Grier was named the Sharks’ GM in 2022, speculation on Vlasic’s future with the team quickly arose. Grier understood where the Sharks were. They still needed to fall before a rebuild could begin. So, it made no sense to buy out Vlasic.
Buying out a player’s contract would keep them on salary for double the duration left of the contract. So in 2022, Vlasic still had four years left. A buyout would have kept him on the books for eight years.
Grier made the right move. It made no sense to buy out Vlasic when the team was nowhere near being competitive. Ride out the majority of the contract so it would not affect the team for longer than it should.
The Future Is Now
With Vlasic gone, the Sharks’ old guard that started way back in 1997 is no more. The old days of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Brent Burns. They are done—an unceremonious end to a long run of competitive hockey in San Jose.
Like a Phoenix, though, the Sharks will rise again.
Led by future captain Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks are building something truly special. Grier has rebuilt the prospect pool into arguably the best in hockey. Young talent is everywhere.
We are starting to see that talent. Will Smith had a strong second half last year. Shakir Mukhamadullin looks to be a solid fit in the defensive corps. Michael Misa, last season’s OHL point leader, was just added to the pool through the draft. Yaroslav Askarov looks to take the reins in goal for the Sharks. And William Eklund looks to be the veteran of that young core of prospects at the ripe age of 22.
Slowly but surely, the future is becoming the present. This team will have growing pains for sure. But they will be so much fun to watch.
With a few more years of experience, they will compete in the spring.
With Vlasic now gone, Sharks fans say goodbye to an era. An era many grew up with. An era that many fans fell in love with hockey.
But a new era is coming. It is going to be an exciting one.
PHOTO: San Jose Sharks/Facebook
