Joe Pavelski

At 39 years old, Joe Pavelski has this physical status:

Playing career

In 2002, Pavelski competed for the Wisconsin State Hockey Championship with the SPASH (Stevens Point Senior High) Panthers. He was a member of the 2004 Clark Cup champion Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL. He was named the 2004 USHL Junior Player of the Year Award.

Pavelski played in 84 games over two seasons (2004–06) at the University of Wisconsin, which is a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. He earned 101 points (39–62). Pavelski was chosen to the All-WCHA Second Team and the Men's RBK Division I West All-America Second Team in 2005. He helped Wisconsin win the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship in 2006 while still leading the team in overall ratings.

Pavelski began his NHL career in the 2006–07 season. He started off with a hot streak, scoring a goal in his first game and getting 7 goals and 10 points in his first 12 games. Pavelski's nickname "Little Joe" was given to Sharks announcer Randy Hahn, a reference to Pavelski's teammate and San Jose superstar "Jumbo Joe," Joe Thornton.

Pavelski, who played in all 82 regular season games and in all 13 2008 Stanley Cup playoff games, became a regular player on the Sharks roster and one of the team's most consistent young players. He also became one of the league's most offensive players in shootouts, scoring 7 times on 11 attempts this season. During the 2008 playoffs, he was tied for second with Ryane Clowe for the team's lead in goals (five) and tied for second with Clowe in second (nine). During the playoffs, Pavelski led San Jose to three game-winning goals, which tied for third most in the playoffs overall. He finished 12th among NHL forwards in blocked shots (59) during the regular season, despite his offensive numbers.

Pavelski had another good season in 2008–09, with 80 games and 34 assists for 59 points, a career high for all three statistics at the time.

Pavelski played three-straight multi-goal games (Game 6 against the Colorado Avalanche and Games 1 and 2 against the Detroit Red Wings), not only helping the Sharks win all three games, but also becoming the first player to do so since Mario Lemieux in 1992. It was during this streak that he adopted the nny "The Big Pavelski" to go with his nickname of "Little Joe," which was also included on his nickname.

Pavelski came close to scoring his first NHL hat-trick against the St. Louis Blues on March 19, 2011. However, one of the goals was awarded to Patrick Marleau after the game, although it had been originally attributed to Pavelski.

Pavelski signed with Belarusian team Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League during the 2012-2013 NHL lockout. (KHL)

Pavelski had signed a new five-year contract with the Sharks from the 2014-2015 season to the 2018-19 season, according to the team's announcement on July 30, 2013.

Pavelski scored his 400th career NHL point against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 11, 2014. Pavelski had a career-high 41 goals and 79 points during the season.

Pavelski had another good offensive season in 2014-2015, scoring 70 points (37 goals and 33 assists) and was named one of the Sharks' four alternate captains.

Pavelski was named the Sharks' ninth captain in history on October 5, 2015, over teammates (and former Sharks' captains) Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

Pavelski scored 78 points (38 goals and 40 assists) during the 2015–16 regular season, earning a spot in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game. He came in fifth in points and first in game-winning goals with 38, sixth in points, and first in game-winning goals with 11. Pavelski's fame extended into the 2016 playoffs as he led the Sharks to their first-ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Pavelski only scored one goal in the Finals, but he still finished as the playoff leader in goals (14) and third in points (23).

Pavelski scored the second-most power play goals in the NHL from 2013 to 2016, behind only Alexander Ovechkin in both categories.

Pavelski scored his 300th NHL goal against the Florida Panthers on December 1, 2017. Patrick Marleau, Patrick Marleau's second Sharks player to score 300 goals with the team, was the second.

Pavelski sustained a major head injury during the 2019 playoffs after a crosscheck from Vegas Golden Knights center Cody Eakin, followed by an accident involving Las Vegas' Paul Stastny that forced Pavelski awkwardly to the ground. Pavelski was helped off the ice and did not return to the game. Eakin was charged with five-minute major penalty and a ten-minute game misconduct, which allowed the Sharks to score four goals in five minutes and send the game to overtime. The Sharks then won the game 5–4 in overtime and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

Pavelski, the Dallas Stars' unrestricted free agent, agreed to a three-year, $21 million contract on July 1, 2019. Pavelski scored the first postseason hat-trick for the North Stars since their transfer from Minnesota on August 16, 2020; Dino Ciccarelli (twice), Steve Payne, and Bob Brooke had previously scored playoff hat-tricks for the North Stars.

Pavelski scored his 61st playoff goal on September 26, 2020, defeating Joe Mullen (who has 60 playoff goals) as the all-time playoff goal scorer by a United States-born player.

Pavelski was named an alternate captain for the 2021–22 season and has appeared on the Stars' top-line, alongside Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. With the line accounting for over 44% of the Stars' goals, the top-line has played a vital role in the Stars' goal-scoring for the season. On November 26, he scored his 400th NHL goal, making him the tenth American-born player to do so. He'll continue to have a fruitful 2021-22 season, scoring 27 goals and 54 assists for his career-best 81 points on the season.

Pavelski was signed by the Stars to a one-year, $5.5 million deal on March 11, 2022.

Career statistics

Bold indicates led league

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