The San Jose Sharks have re-signed two of their core players in defenseman, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and goalie, Martin Jones. The players have signed eight-year $56 million and six-year, $34.5 million deals respectively.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Martin Jones Re-Sign
Sharks have signed Marc-Edouard Vlasic to an 8-year, $56 million extension ($7 M aav) and Martin Jones to a 6-year deal worth $5.75 M aav
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2017
General manager Doug Wilson stated after the Stanley Cup Playoffs that re-signing Vlasic and Jones were the two priorities heading into July. Now he has both players re-signed on the first day possible. The new deal will keep Vlasic in San Jose until 2025-26 and Jones until 2023-24. Both deals were expected to happen early. Vlasic seemed focused on staying in San Jose long-term as he said earlier in the year that he wanted to play his entire career with the team. Now both are signed with Vlasic carrying a $7 million cap hit and Jones coming with a $5.75 million cap hit.
Careers
Vlasic is the Sharks top shutdown defenseman and one of the best in the league. He was drafted 35th overall in 2005 and after spending another year in juniors he made bee line to the big team and hasn’t looked back since. In his 11 seasons in teal he’s never been known for his offensive output but rather his effectiveness in shutting down opposing top lines. He’s been partnered up with defenseman, Justin Braun for a number of years now.
Jones is a newcomer to the team having just been with them two years. Jones was never drafted but was later signed by the Los Angeles Kings where he also got his NHL debut. After two years as Jonathan Quick‘s backup he was traded by the team to the Boston Bruins, who quickly sent him back to the west-coast in exchange for the Sharks 2016 1st round pick. In San Jose he finally got a chance to be a number one goalie and has done well in his first two years, with the highlight so far being his play in the 2016 Playoffs where he posted a .923 Sv% during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Jones has one year left on his first Sharks deal paying him $3 million a year and Vlasic has one year left on a five-year bargain deal worth $4.25 million per year.
Main Photo: SAN JOSE, CA – DECEMBER 07: Marc-Edouard Vlasic #44 of the San Jose Sharks skates against the Ottawa Senators at SAP Center on December 7, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images)
