Vlasic Talks Shot Block Record, Strategy & Most Memorable Blocks

BUFFALO — Naturally, after Marc-Edouard Vlasic set the all-time blocked shots record, he walked to the bus with an ice pack.

Naturally, after setting the NHL all-time record with 2,165 blocked shots, Marc-Edouard Vlasic walked out of the locker room with an icepack pic.twitter.com/pVMtZn2ElI

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 5, 2025

On Tuesday, early in the San Jose Sharks’ 6-2 victory at the Buffalo Sabres, the 37-year-old blocked his 2,165th shot, a Jack Quinn bid, setting a new NHL record, last held by Mark Giordano.

Granted, according to NHL.com, the league didn’t start recording the stat until 2005-06, but it’s an impressive achievement, nonetheless.

Vlasic spoke with San Jose Hockey Now about how he’s managed to stay in the line-up over 95 percent of the time despite taking that many pucks, some memorable shot blocks, and the development of young San Jose Sharks defensemen Timothy Liljegren, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Jack Thompson.

Vlasic, on what the shot block record means to him:

It’s pretty cool. It’s nice to lead in some category, but a lot of guys on the team block shots. Throughout my career, if it’s my time to block, I’ll block. I’ll block a bunch more shots down the road as well.

Vlasic, on his trick for staying in the San Jose Sharks line-up, despite all the shot blocks:

Try not to go down on one knee—if you go down on one knee, sometimes your shoulder and your head are at the level of the puck. I’ve been hit in the face a bunch of times by [Shea Weber], by other slap shots. I’ve missed a game or two—I broke my foot, my orbital bone, and other things as well. It’s just a part of the business. If you normally block them with your equipment and try to stay on your feet, you don’t get injured as much.

Vlasic, on if he tells the other San Jose Sharks defensemen to take his shot blocking advice:

Everyone has their own strategy, whatever works—blocking shots is by preference. Sometimes it’s desperation and you just slide and go down. Everyone has their own technique. As long as the shot’s blocked, no one really cares how it’s done, as long as it’s blocked.

Vlasic, on his most memorable shot block:

Getting Weber’s off of the face, that’s a memorable one—it’s hard not to remember that one, getting the slap shot off the face. I had one in Detroit, it broke my orbital bone. Then, the next game, I was playing with a cage in Columbus. With over 2,000, it’s hard to pick a favorite. I’ve blocked a whole bunch, and I’m going to block some more.

Maybe in Vegas, Hertl shorthanded [in Game Six OT of the 2019 playoffs]. I kind of blocked the shot-pass, put him in for a breakaway, then he scored. It’s not the ideal block, but still a block. To count which one, there’s too many, and I don’t remember them all.

Vlasic, on young San Jose Sharks defensemen Mukhamadullin, Liljegren, and Thompson:

They’ve played really well.

I think Shak is seeing the ice well, making plays, skating and using his feet.

Thompson, when he’s in, can use his feet and has a good shot—scored yesterday.

Lily, same thing, back-to-back games with goals.

But it’s not just the goals, it’s the way they’re making plays—seeing the ice, playing on the power play, penalty kill, six-on-five, doing everything. It’s nice to see that the young guys on the back-end are playing really well.

Vlasic, on what these last two wins mean, in comparison to his long career of regular and playoff success:

It’s fun when you win, it’s fun when you’re playing well. Sometimes we pay well and we’re not going to win, but we’re feeling good. It’s nice to see the young guys in the back-end and up front having fun contributing.

I know in four or five years, I probably won’t be with the Sharks, but hopefully I can help the younger guys make this franchise what it should be—a winning one—and hopefully win a championship. I’m having fun playing with them and having fun learning from them and having fun helping them along the way.

Special thanks to Maddie Dutra for transcribing.