On July 16, Joe Pavelski announced that he was retiring after 18 great seasons in the NHL. This was no shock as Pavelski mentioned in June that the 2023-24 season was likely to be his last after losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final.
Courtesy of Tony Avelar / AP Photo
Pavelski had an impressive 13-year run with the San Jose Sharks from 2006-2019 after being drafted as the 205th pick in the 2003 Draft. He was captain of the Sharks from 2015 to 2019, even leading the team to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final in his first year as captain. This was San Jose’s first and only time playing in the Final. After having a low-performing season in 2019, he and the Sharks could not come to terms for a new contract, so he left to join the Dallas Stars via free agency. Since his departure, the Sharks have not performed well and have not been to the playoffs.
When Pavelski joined Dallas, people assumed he might not perform well because of his previous season with San Jose as well as his age being in the mid-30s. However, he got his groove back, averaging 60+ points per season and even going to the Stanley Cup Final with Dallas during his first season with them. Out of his five seasons with the Stars, he and the team have reached the Western Conference Finals three times. This feat, plus his impressive playoff stats (201 playoff games, 74 goals, 69 assists), helps showcase how Pavelski is an important part of the team during the postseason. Sadly, in this last playoff stretch, he did not perform nearly as effectively as in previous years, probably helping him decide to retire after this season.
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Despite never winning the Stanley Cup, Pavelski is known as a great American player because of his stats. In San Jose’s franchise history, Pavelski ranks second in goals, third in points, fourth in assists and 4th in games played for the Sharks. He is first among American players for playoff goals scored, sixth among Americans in regular season goals and points. Pavelsi also represented Team USA in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games, earning the silver medal in 2010. He is one of five players in NHL history to be a seventh-round or later draft pick to have more than 1,000 points and he has the highest number of goals (476) and points (1,068) scored in the 2003 Draft cohort. Before retiring, Pavelski was fifth among active players in goals and seventh in points.
During the current offseason, Pavelski wanted to take some time to come to a decision about retirement. He had been in talks with Mike Grier, general manager of the San Jose Sharks. There was a possibility of Pavelski making his return to the Sharks, who he believes “are turning a corner,” but alas, he is sticking with his decision to be done playing. This doesn’t necessarily mean Pavelski is done with the hockey world in total, just that he will no longer be playing professionally. Pavelski will definitely be missed by his former teammates and fans alike. But it will be exciting to see what he does outside of playing hockey and how the Stars will do without him.
Edited by Breanna Ebisch
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