Joe Pavelski

Joe Pavelski, an American former professional ice hockey player, spent 18 seasons in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks and the Dallas Stars. Born on July 11, 1984, in Plover, Wisconsin, to Sandy and Mike Pavelski, his family has Polish roots, with the surname originally spelled Pawelski. He grew up with three siblings; his younger brother, Scott, played college sports but never turned pro.

Pavelski attended the University of Wisconsin and played for the Wisconsin Badgers men’s ice hockey team. He was drafted 205th overall in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Sharks. He spent his first 13 NHL seasons in San Jose, serving as captain for his final four years there. Often called one of the franchise’s all-time greats, he led the Sharks to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2016. After leaving in free agency, he played his last five seasons with the Stars, reaching the Finals again in 2020.

Nicknamed “Little Joe” and “Captain America,” Pavelski scored a goal in his first NHL game, becoming the 11th Sharks player to do so. He holds the record for most playoff goals by an American-born player, with 74. Internationally, he won a silver medal with Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and served as captain of the U.S. team at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.

In his amateur career, Pavelski won a Wisconsin state high school championship with SPASH in 2002. He was part of the 2004 Clark Cup champion Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL and won the 2004 USHL Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award. Over two seasons (2004–06) at Wisconsin, he played 84 games, recording 101 points (39 goals, 62 assists). He made the All-WCHA Rookie Team in 2005, was named to the All-WCHA Second Team, and earned a spot on the Men’s RBK Division I West All-America Second Team. He helped Wisconsin win the 2006 NCAA Division I title, leading the team in overall points.

Pavelski’s NHL career began in 2006–07 with a hot start: a goal in his first game and 7 goals with 10 points in his first 12 games. Sharks announcer Randy Hahn gave him the nickname “Little Joe,” a nod to teammate Joe Thornton, known as “Jumbo Joe.” In 2007–08, he played all 82 regular-season games and all 13 playoff games, becoming a consistent young player. He excelled in shootouts, scoring 7 times on 11 chances that season.