‘This is it for me’: Joe Pavelski doesn’t plan on playing during 2024-25 NHL season

During the team’s locker room cleanout on Tuesday, Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski told reporters that he is not planning on playing in the NHL in 2024-25.

The 39-year-old said he treated this season as his last kick at the can, helping the Stars advance to the Western Conference final before ultimately losing to the Edmonton Oilers in six games.

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski says “this is it for me.” Says it’s not official official, but said it was known for a long time that this was his last go. “Plan is not to play next season.”

— Taylor Baird (@taylordbaird) June 4, 2024

“This is it for me,” Pavelski said, while adding that it’s not officially official.

Despite being one of the oldest players in the NHL, Pavelski managed 27 goals and 67 points in 82 games during the regular season. He had four points in 19 playoff games as his play started to decline, which began rumors of it being the end for the NHL veteran.

Pavelski is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after finishing a one-year deal worth $5.5 million.

The American forward was drafted 205th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2003, where he spent the largest portion of his NHL career. He had 355 goals and 761 points in 963 games with the Sharks, which included a carer-best season of 78 points in 2015-16. He signed with Dallas in 2019-20, helping the team make the Stanley Cup final four years after doing the same with the Sharks.

Pavelski had 121 goals and 307 points in 369 games for the Stars over the past four years as he proved to be a valuable veteran presence. He only missed two games with the team in 2019-20 before going four years without missing a single contest.

Pavelski played in four NHL all-star games, and even served as a captain in 2022. A noted playoff performer, Pavelski had 74 goals and 143 points in 201 postseason contests, which included an NHL-high 14 goals in 2015-16.

Outside of the NHL, Pavelski represented the United States in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, winning silver in 2010. He captained USA at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey after wearing the C for the second year in a row with the Sharks. Pavelski also won the NCAA national championship with Wisconsin in 2006 before turning pro the following season.