Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Vlasic stunned the Sharks last season when he didn't skate at all in the offseason -- he was simply not ready to play on Opening Night. That was hard to believe for such a storied veteran leader. But the 34-year-old defender has over 1,000 NHL games, all with the same team, and an Olympic gold medal for Team Canada (2014) to his credit. This season, Pickles will toil on the third pairing where the Sharks hope to hide the overall decline in his game. There's little fantasy value with Vlasic at this point in his career, so stay away.

Vlasic's decline continued last year, as his 15 points were his lowest mark since he had seven in 48 games during the lockout shortened 2012-13 campaign. Vlasic also had a minus-10 rating, his worst since 2007-08. The 33-year-old defensive defenseman clearly isn't what he used to be, so fantasy managers shouldn't count on him to get back to the 20-point mark in 2020-21. He'll likely continue to be one of the better shot-blockers in the league -- he stepped in front of 97 pucks last year, the first time in seven years he didn't top the century mark in that category. Other than for blocks, Vlasic probably isn't worth a roster spot in most fantasy formats.

Erik Karlsson's arrival in the Bay Area took some steam out of Vlasic's engine last season, as the man affectionately known as "Pickles" saw his ice-time average decrease by a minute and a half compared to the 2017-18 campaign, when he banked a career-high 11 goals among 32 total points. Still, playing alongside Norris Trophy-winner Brent Burns at even strength provides a high floor for Vlasic in the fantasy realm. He's cleared 20 assists in four straight seasons while managing a 31-point average over that span. Sharks coach Peter DeBoer has gradually reduced Vlasic's power-play responsibilities in order to maximize his utility on the penalty kill, meaning the 32-year-old defenseman will need to consistently play at a high level in the upcoming season to avoid falling off the proverbial map fantasy-wise.

Vlasic enjoyed another rock-solid season in 2017-18, notching 11 goals and 32 points while averaging 22:23 of ice time in 81 contests. The 31-year-old blueliner only picked up three of his points with the man advantage, showing he's hardly reliant on heavy power-play minutes to be productive. Vlasic is a model of consistency and has shown zero signs of slowing down after 12 NHL seasons, so fantasy owners shouldn't worry about him falling off now that he's working his way into his thirties. The 2005 second-round pick doesn't have a ton of offensive upside, but his reliability will make him an asset to any fantasy owner looking to round out their defensive corps in the later rounds of drafts this season.

Vlasic has never been named an All-Star and doesn't possess blazing speed or a blistering shot, but he’s won both Olympic Gold and a World Cup with Team Canada and signed an eight-year, $56 million extension this offseason. So how has he done it? While praise is rightfully rained down on household names like Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, and teammate Brent Burns, Vlasic has earned his keep as a consistent, durable and responsible defender that chips in on the offensive end from time to time. Since beginning his career in 2006-07, Vlasic has suited up in 812 out of a possible 868 regular-season tilts, all while averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game in each of the 11 campaigns. From a fantasy standpoint, Vlasic has been a positive plus-minus player in every season aside from his sophomore season and has become a consistent contributor on the power play over the last two years. Though not a flashy pick, Vlasic’s solid fantasy production coupled with his consistency makes him a valuable depth defender in all but the shallowest of leagues.

If it weren’t for being limited to 67 games in 2015-16, the man they call “Pickles” would have topped the 40-point plateau for the first time in his 10-year NHL career. Despite the lower-body injury that forced him to miss time at the tail end of the regular season, Vlasic finished with eight goals, 31 assists, a plus-15 rating, 48 PIM and a serviceable 116 shots on goal. The 39 points amounted to a rate of 0.58 per game – the best of his career – while his 23:07 of average ice time was right around his career high, as well. There’s a reason why the 29-year-old cracked the Olympic and upcoming World Cup roster of Team Canada as one of the most dependable two-way defensemen in the game, and together with Sharks and World Cup teammate Brent Burns, Vlasic anchors a very solid top-four defense unit in San Jose that also features veteran Paul Martin and Justin Braun. Once Burns comes off the board in drafts (which will be in the opening round or two), it would be wise to hone in on Vlasic given his potential for 40-plus points as a responsible blueliner and strong supporting cast.

The man they call "Pickles" provided a surprising dose of scoring last season, racking up a career-high nine goals, but his assist total dropped accordingly, so he actually ended up with one point fewer than the year before. To highlight how odd a season it was, Vlasic also saw his shot total fall precipitously while putting up a personal high in shooting percentage -- literally double his career average. While he's a top-pair defensemen for the Sharks, Vlasic sees relatively minimal power-play time and mostly tends to stay back and guard the home front, so with his goals primed to fall back, he again holds minimal value outside of very deep formats.

Vlasic is a decent fantasy play in deep formats, but he's mostly a stay-at-home guy. He posted five goals and 19 assists on 138 shots to go along with a plus-31 rating (ninth in the NHL), with the latter figure driving most of his value. However, he'll always kill more penalties than hop the boards on power plays. Vlasic's role is unchanged heading into 2014-15; his fantasy outlook remains that way, too. And if he notices a dip in plus/minus as expected, Vlasic could even be headed for a downturn in productivity.

Vlasic is a great, under-valued shutdown defenseman. His point totals don't shimmer, but you're getting nearly two blocked shots per game (he averaged 2.09 per game in the 2011-12 season), a positive plus/minus (plus-5 last season) and over twenty minutes per game. Pickles only notched seven points last season, so drafters be warned. Know what you’re getting before you get it. He’s a defensive-minded defenseman. Don't project him as anything more.

Pickles is underrated. His game doesn't stand out in any real way and you rarely hear his name. Such is the life of most super-effective, shutdown defenders. He gets a new partner this year in former Red Wing, Brad Stuart, and this new duo could be one of the best shutdown duos in the Western Conference. Vlasic isn't a head hunter; he uses exceptional positioning and a great stick to frustrate his opponents, and he'll probably end up with close to 25 points, too. Oh ya -- don't forget about all those blocked shots. He stopped 171 last year; he could easily approach 200 this time out.

Vlasic, also known as "Pickles," is coming off a strange season, to say the least. He had gotten off to a horrible start in 2010-11, going 27 consecutive games without recording a single point before ending the infamous streak with a goal on December 9. However, the defender eventually picked up the slack and finished with a plus-14 rating, third best on the whole team. And even though he made inconsistency his middle name on the offensive end, Vlasic stayed committed on the defensive end by blocking a team-high 147 shots. He's worth a roll, but only in very deep fantasy leagues.

They call him 'Pickles' but Vlasic's offensive game wasn't ripe during the 2009-10 season. Though to be fair, he did battle through lower body injuries for a bit, explaining his drop from 36 points in 2008-09, to a measly 16 last year. There are question marks for Vlasic, but sans Rob Blake, there should be plenty of chances for No. 44 to shine with the puck in a new season. Look for him to rebound closer to the 30-point range.

Vlasic continues to benefit from plenty of ice time per game. The 2008-09 season was kind to him as he logged career-bests in every major category, including goals (6), assists (30), penalty minutes (42), and a plus/minus rating of plus-15. Remember, he’s just 22 years old and has immense potential as a blooming rearguard. It would be wise to monitor his availability in fantasy pools.

Put a big ribbon over his head because Vlasic is a gift to the Sharks, one they probably didn't think they would get to open so soon. The 21-year-old defenseman appeared in all 82 games last season, dishing 12 assists and scoring twice. The team inked Vlasic to a 4-year contract extension, ensuring that no other team enjoys the play of one of the better up-and-coming shutdown defensemen to appear in recent years. He will warrant serious fantasy consideration if he keeps improving at this rapid pace.

Pickles was the biggest surprise for the Sharks in the 2006-07 season. Vlasic who turned 20 during the middle of the season, was arguably the best overall defenseman for the Sharks. Not only was he the second best shut down defenseman for the Sharks, he notched the third most points among blueliners with 26 points (three goals and 23 assists) in 81 games, while ranking third on the team in ice time with 22:12 min and a plus-13 rating. Expect Vlasic to continue to grow as he did throughout last season and because he will get to see more power-play time, expect him to reach the 30-point plateau.

The 35th pick of the 2005 draft, he's got a future with the Sharks - in a couple of years.

Second-round pick, 35th overall, in the 2005 summer draft. Let's see where he is in a couple of winters.

Vlasic is a project defenseman. He's smart and dependable in a way that makes him nearly invisible on the ice. He doesn't get a lot of flashy points but then again, he doesn't make any real mistakes, either. At 6'0" and 180lbs, Vlasic needs to seriously bulk up to make it into the NHL.