Nill on Pavelski: ‘Off-ice habits are what makes him a great player on the ice’

At 39, Joe Pavelski is thriving in the Lone Star State.

DALLAS - Just over four years ago, general manager Jim Nill made a major acquisition that continues to pay serious dividends.

Bringing veteran forward Joe Pavelski to Texas was simply a stroke of genius.

Asked to reflect on the move this past Wednesday, Nill was exceptionally complementary of the 39-year-old Wisconsin native, who is entering his fifth season with the Stars and 18th overall.

“He’s been a great addition, and probably the bigger part than on the ice, it’s off the ice where he’s really impacted, and that’s where those veteran players - people always talk about veteran players and you’re getting too old and stuff - you have to have that leadership. It’s a must,” praised Nill. “He’s been a great signing for us. As good as he’s been on the ice, his off-ice habits are what makes him a great player on the ice. Other players have witnessed that, and that has changed their careers also.”

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Incoming sophomore Wyatt Johnston can vouch for that after living with the Pavelski family during his rookie campaign, and benefiting immensely from the experience with excellent numbers - and more importantly a heap of valuable lessons that will serve him well throughout his career.

Pavelski was kind enough to renew the same housing offer to Johnston again, and he quickly accepted.

That kind of leadership has made Pavelski a go-to guy in the locker room, and the fact that he’s still producing at a remarkable pace offensively is equally impressive.

Pavelski ranked third in team scoring last season with 77 points behind only Jamie Benn (78 points) and Jason Robertson (109 points). His plus-42 differential was also a team-high.

He then added nine goals and 14 points in the playoffs, including four game-winning snipes.

“Not a lot of guys push 40 playing in the NHL at a high level, just like almost a point per game last year. You see the longevity and how much he’s been able to play. Other than that one injury last year, he’s played every game since I’ve played in the NHL, so it’s very unique how long he’s been doing it,” said Robertson. “Obviously, he has a great routine and a great attitude when it comes to that, so we should expect another big year from him.”

If the Stars are going to achieve their ultimate goal nine months from now, Pavelski should play a key role along the way.

The four-time All-Star was a postseason catalyst during the most recent run to the Western Conference Finals, according to Robertson, after returning from a concussion that he suffered in the series-opener against the Wild in Round 1.

“During the playoffs, Joe was definitely ‘the’ guy. He calmed everyone down,” mentioned Robertson. “When he came back in the Seattle series, that was a big boost for our morale, and you can see the impact he had immediately when he came back in.”

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Young superstars like Robertson simply couldn’t ask for a better mentor.

The alternate captain is a perfect example to follow.

“His leadership role, those qualities are obviously big intangibles that really help us… We kind of know he holds us up to a big standard,” explained Robertson. “We try to hold ourselves to a standard, but certainly him being our leader, one of the biggest leaders on the team, it’s up to him to keep us honest and hold us up to that, so we look forward to trying to do it again this year.”

As for Pavelski’s approach to a season when the Stars are among the Stanley Cup favorites and opposing teams will always be hungry to give them a tough time...

“It’s not about us being hunted by any means. Each and every night, we’re trying to give our best against that team. It doesn’t matter who it is. It’s just the way the League is right now. You’re going to see a lot of good teams out there. It’s about us kind of going after teams, going after games, and wanting good starts and playing 60 minutes,” said Pavelski. “I think the mentality out of this group is we’re not looking to be hunted. We want to go out there and earn what we get.”