Marc-Edouard Vlasic did not expect to be bought out this summer.

“They told me that I played well, especially defensively, and that they liked that I was a mentor to the young guys,” the long-time San Jose Sharks defenseman said of his April exit interview. Vlasic spoke in French on Thursday at the Sun Life Pro Am at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, comments translated by The Mercury News.

Les Sharks de San Jose ont laissé croire à Marc-Édouard Vlasic qu’il serait de retour l’an prochain, avant de le racheter au début de l’été 😬 pic.twitter.com/Fyef7tSTRV

— RDS (@RDSca) August 15, 2025

“They told me they wanted me to do that next year, so when I left, I thought I’d come back,” Vlasic added.

On Jun. 26, Mike Grier decided to buy out the all-time leader in blocked shots, since the NHL began recording the stat in 2005-06. Vlasic had one year remaining on an eight-year, $56-million contract.

The Sharks did not make the move to clear cap space, but instead to make room on a crowded blue line that added Dmitry Orlov, John Klingberg, and Nick Leddy this summer. They’re also integrating young defenders Sam Dickinson and Shakir Mukhamadullin into the line-up. As part of the buyout, the Sharks save just $2.3 million this season and incur a $1.17-million cap penalty in 2026-27.

“I think he understood where we are at as an organization, and the decisions that we have to make as far as roster construction,” the San Jose Sharks GM said of Vlasic’s reaction to the buyout in July. “So, he handled it really well, very professional. It’s not something I’m surprised by. He’s a class act.”

Vlasic’s game has slipped in recent years, the prelude to the buyout, but he was once an elite defensive defenseman on a perennial playoff contender. The 2005 second-round pick still wants to play, but as it stands, he’s second on the Sharks in games played, sixth in assists, and eighth in points.

“I still have a residence in San Jose,” the 38-year-old free agent said. “It would have been honest of them to tell me right after the season…Now, I have a lot of things to think about.”