West Island native Marc-Édouard Vlasic has been named to Canada’s men’s Olympic hockey team, which will be heading to the Sochi Games next month.
Vlasic, 26, was one of eight defencemen named to Canada’s 25-man roster on Tuesday, a list that also includes the Habs P.K. Subban and Carey Price. The San Jose Sharks rearguard is one of three Quebec-born players named to the Olympic hockey team, the others being goaltender Roberto Luongo (Canucks) and centre Patrice Bergeron (Bruins).
Vlasic has represented Canada internationally at the World Hockey Championships in 2009, earning a silver medal, and in 2012, playing a total of seven games.
Vlasic, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 205-pound defenceman, is playing in his eighth NHL season, all with the San Jose Sharks, who drafted him in 2005. He has four goals and 16 points in 43 games so far this season. He was named to the NHL all-rookie team in 2007 after recording 26 points in 81 games in his first pro season.
Vlasic is playing this season under a new five-year, $21.25-million contract he signed with the Sharks that runs through the 2017-’18 NHL season and includes a no-trade clause.
Vlasic grew up in Beaconsfield. His parents now live in Baie-d’Urfé. His hockey life started at the novice level with the West Island Hockey Association. He then suited up for Lakeshore at the AA level from atom to bantam. He played one season for the midget AAA West Island Lions in 2002-’03 and then three seasons with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, winning a Memorial Cup in 2006, before jumping to the NHL.