Joe Pavelski, one of the greatest American-born hockey players in NHL history, announced his retirement after 18 seasons in the league. The news comes as Pavelski revealed his plans to move back to his home state of Wisconsin with his family.
The Wisconsin native, who played for the San Jose Sharks from 2006 to 2019 and the Dallas Stars from 2019 to 2024, told reporters that he had known for a while that the 2023-24 NHL season would be his last. “This is it for me,” Pavelski said, according to the New York Times. “Plan is not to play next season.”
Pavelski’s illustrious career includes many accolades, such as holding the record for the most playoff goals by an American player (74) and winning a silver medal with Team USA during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Before his professional career, Pavelski helped deliver SPASH a Wisconsin State Hockey Championship and the Wisconsin Badgers an NCAA Championship in 2006, leading the team in overall points.
A four-time NHL All-Star, Pavelski had 14 seasons in which he registered at least 20 goals. His career-high in goals was during the 2013-14 season, where he scored 41. However, it was in the playoffs where Pavelski truly shined. Despite not winning the Stanley Cup in his career, Pavelski scored 74 playoff goals, the most for an American-born player. He reached the Stanley Cup Final twice in his career: in 2016 with the Sharks and in 2020 with the Stars.
Internationally, Pavelski was known as “Captain America.” He won a silver medal for Team USA at the Vancouver 2010 Games and captained the Americans during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.
Pavelski’s work ethic and sense of knowing where to be on the ice at the right time and making the right play not only helped him hit the ground running in the NHL as a seventh-round pick out of the University of Wisconsin but allowed him to have amazing staying power throughout his 30s.
