Marc-Édouard Vlasic

Marc-Édouard Vlasic (Vlašić; born March 30, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vlasic holds the team record for most games played by a defenceman for the Sharks.

San Jose Sharks (2006–present)
Vlasic was drafted by the San Jose Sharks 35th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, using a pick exchanged for goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. Vlasic attended high school at Collège Sainte-Anne High School for three years, then a one-year stint at West Island College before making the jump to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he played three seasons of major junior hockey with the Quebec Remparts. He won the Memorial Cup with Quebec in 2006.

On August 27, 2008, the San Jose Sharks signed Vlasic to a four-year, $12.4 million contract extension that would keep him with the team through the. On July 11, 2012, responding to the six full seasons of reliable play that earned him the replacement of "Pickles" as his nickname to "Steady Eddie", the Sharks signed Vlasic to a 5-year, $21 million contract extension that would keep him with the Sharks through the. Up to that point Vlasic had played only one game in the minors, for the Worcester Sharks in 2008, where he notched 2 points.

Early in the 2012–13 season, Vlasic became the second player from the 2005 draft class to play 500 games, and later scored his first career Stanley Cup playoffs goal, during the playoffs, against Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings.

On July 1, 2017, he signed a $56 million, eight-year contract extension with the Sharks.

Vlasic played his 1,000th NHL game on December 14, 2019; he was only the 17th player to play his first 1,000 games with one team.

International play
Vlasic was named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team where his team won Gold against Sweden 3–0.

Following the Sharks defeat by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, Vlasic was invited to play for Team Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.

Personal life
Of Croatian descent, Marc-Édouard has three younger brothers: Thomas, Charles, and James, the last two being twins. He attended West Island College in Quebec. He married his high school sweetheart, Martine. His cousin, Emma Vlasic, plays for the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation, and was former captain of Yale's women's hockey team, and her younger brother, Alex, plays for the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Quebec Remparts retired Vlasic's number 44 in 2015.