The Dallas Stars have signed 38-year-old forward Joe Pavelski to a one-year contract extension, the team announced Sunday. He will make $3.5 million before signing bonuses worth up to $2 million.
🚨 Captain America is going nowhere! 🚨
We have signed Joe Pavelski to a 1-year, $3.5 million contract extension.@jpav8 | #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/FmGX9cNeYa
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 1, 2023
Joe Pavelski Signs Contract to Stay in Dallas
Pavelski joined the Stars as a free agent for the 2019-20 season after spending 13 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks had drafted him in the 7th round of the 2003 draft. He scored 761 points in 963 games as a Shark and was the team’s captain for four seasons.
Since signing with Dallas, Pavelski has appeared in 243 games for the Stars, recording 200 points which leads the team in that span. He played all 82 games for the Stars last season. According to PuckPedia, his signing bonuses will activate at 10 and 20 games played for $1 million each.
He also appeared in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game as captain of the Central Division. It was his fourth All-Star Game.
Pavelski is currently third on the Stars in points with 37, second in assists at 25, and fourth in goals with 12. He is on pace to score 80 points this season according to EliteProspects’ projection. He has recorded 70 or more points four times in his career, most recently last season when he totalled 81 points, a career-high.
What it Means
In 34 playoff appearances for the Stars, Pavelski has 25 points, including a team-leading 16 postseason goals. He recorded three goals and three assists in seven games during the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Playoff. Dallas was eliminated in the first round by the Calgary Flames in overtime of Game 7.
Born in Plover, Wisconsin, Pavelski is third for active American-born players in games played, trailing only Phil Kessel, who has not missed a game since 2009, and teammate Ryan Suter. He is also third in power-play goals by American players, behind Jeremy Roenick and Keith Tkachuk. Both Roenick and Tkachuk are members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
