Joe Pavelski Evades Father Time As a Key Contributor to the Stars

The Dallas Stars have gotten to the Western Conference final this season in no small part because their top young players – forwards Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson, defenseman Miro Heiskanen and goaltender Jake Oettinger – have been their best players. This is a young athlete’s NHL, and for the most part, you must have your most important contributions come from your best players on the right side of 30 years old.

But this year’s Stars have made it at least to the Western final for the second time in the past four seasons because they’ve had more key contributors than just those elite young Dallas players. And arguably, the biggest secondary key contributing factor is the performance of veteran forward Joe Pavelski. He ticks off all the boxes you’re looking for in the most compelling human story that stands out among all remaining active NHLers eligible to finally win a Stanley Cup.

For starters, there’s Pavelski’s age. He’s 38 years old now, and he will be 39 in July. He’s the oldest guy on the Stars. Then there’s the fact Pavelski is signed for the 2023-24 season at just $3.5 million – a $2-million pay cut from his $5.5-million salary this season.

He’s coming off a regular season in which he scored 28 goals (and 77 points) in 82 games – slightly better than his 27-goal season in 2021-22. He’s produced 25 goals or more in 11 of his 17 seasons. And Pavelski is currently second on the Stars in playoff goal-scoring; he has eight goals and 12 points in just nine playoff games this spring, and he’s put up those numbers despite averaging only 17:50 of ice time.

In sum, Pavelski is the kind of guy you’re happy to see succeed, even if the Stars aren’t your favorite team.

Every team that’s still active usually has a feel-good story kind of player. Sometimes, you see it in the black aces group on any playoff team. Other times, you see it in some teams’ elite forwards, with many veteran players just hanging on and trying to adjust their games to a minor role at 38 years old. That’s why Pavelski’s ability to survive and thrive at his age is so remarkable. He’s found a way to evade the ravages of Father Time, and he’s still kicking after 13 seasons as a San Jose Shark and the past four seasons as a Star.

Pavelski’s career statistical highlights would still be stunning if he retired today. In 1,250 regular-season games, Pavelski has generated 552 assists and 1,001 points. In 177 post-season games, he’s amassed 72 goals and 137 points. He’s the 97th player in NHL history to break the 1,000-point mark, and he’s got a golden opportunity next season to leap up the all-time top point-producers ranking by about 20 places or so.

Pavelski’s season hasn’t been ideal, mainly because he missed the final five games of the first round with a head injury after Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba took him out of action in Game 1. Of course, any head injury is worrisome enough for players’ long-term abilities on and off the ice. But this isn’t the first time Pavelski has suffered a head injury. In 2019 as a member of the Sharks, he suffered another questionable hit, his head striking the ice against the Golden Knights in Game 7 of the San Jose/Vegas first-round series.

You always cringe when players suffer what could be huge contributors toward subsequent health woes. You want to see all players leave the league with a tremendous post-playing career ahead of them.

But you just want to cheer for Joe Pavelski. He’s been to the Cup final twice – once as a Shark in 2015-16, when San Jose eventually lost to Pittsburgh, and once as a Star in 2019-20, when Dallas fell to Tampa Bay. He’s come so close to realizing his hockey dream – those past failures make his story so compelling. Somebody has to win the Cup every year, and are there more likable guys than Pavelski you’d want to see win it all? We don’t think so.

If the Stars do triumph over Vegas and, subsequently, over Carolina or Florida, you’d better believe Pavelski will be one of the first guys to hold the Stanley Cup. He’s that important to Dallas.

Pavelski is a stunningly adept time-defier and an incredibly dangerous player. He isn’t likely to be given this year’s Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a significant player. He most definitely is. And he’s on the verge of achieving his ultimate goal near the end of a magnificent career. You have to be happy for a guy like that.