Brian Burke needed to be convinced. 

He obviously knew enough about Joe Pavelski to consider him for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that would play in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, but Burke wasn’t sold that the 5-foot-11 center would be a good fit.

Therefore, Burke flew to the Bay Area to have a chat with Todd McLellan, Pavelski’s coach with the San Jose Sharks. McLellan went into full salesman mode as he tried to convince Burke, the general manager putting together the U.S. team, to take Pavelski, who only had two full NHL seasons under his belt.

“I spent an hour and a half with him talking about Joe,” Burke said. “We looked at some tape on a game day. Todd didn’t go home ... and when we got done, I said, ‘He’s on the team.’ Just from what Todd said about him. I was worried about skating. He’s a small guy. If you can’t skate, usually you’ll have trouble if you are a smaller guy. This guy is so smart, though, great hand-eye coordination, I think the best in the history of USA Hockey.”

Burke wasn’t the only one who ever doubted Pavelski. But Pavelski was always determined to prove those doubters wrong. That drive fueled him to a fabulous career that has earned him a spot in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Pavelski will be inducted Dec. 10 in St. Paul, Minnesota, along with photographer Bruce Bennett and players Scott Gomez, Tara Mounsey and Zach Parise, with executive Ray Shero being honored as the Lester Patrick Trophy winner.

Not only did Pavelski play on that 2010 Olympic team that won the silver medal, but he also played for the 2014 Olympic team.

Pavelski’s international career started on the 2009 Men’s World Championship team and concluded as the U.S. captain for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. That was all in addition to a lengthy NHL career that saw him play 18 seasons — 13 with the Sharks and five with the Dallas Stars. 

Pavelski recorded 476 goals and 592 assists for 1,068 points, including a 41-goal season in 2013-14 and leading the NHL with 11 game-winning goals in 2015-16. He also finished his career with 74 playoff goals, the most by an American player. His clutch scoring helped him appear in two Stanley Cup Finals, with the Sharks in 2016 and then the Stars in 2020.

Having doubts about Pavelski could be understood. He came from a small town in central Wisconsin called Plover. He then attended the University of Wisconsin for two years after being a seventh-round NHL Draft choice in 2003. He joined the Sharks during the 2006-07 season and made an instant impact, scoring a goal in his first NHL game and four of the first five.

“How many times did we have to see that over and over again?” said David Poile, Team USA’s assistant general for the 2010 Olympics and general manager in 2014. “When people said, he couldn’t do this or he couldn’t do that, he proved everybody wrong. I knew him from USA Hockey and some of the teams that we had, and I wish that my team could have had Joe Pavelski on them. He could do it all and he put up so much offense, an area that everybody is lacking in, and he did it year after year.”

As much as Pavelski developed his natural talent, his success could be traced to his work ethic.

“The player and the person that I met at that time was the ultimate professional,” said Jamie Langenbrunner, Pavelski’s teammate on the 2010 Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. “Type of guy that was so prepared. Watching him get ready for a game during that tournament. How early he was at the rink, how routine he was and what he did in the way he prepared was something pretty unique. His ability to be a team player. You go into those tournaments and roles and situations are difficult. Most guys are coming from being top-six players on their team, on power plays. Whatever role he was given, it was the same thing. He was prepared, ready to go. That was part of what set us up to have success in the tournament, guys accepting of whatever was told to him on Day 1 and adapting as it went.”

It could be fitting that Pavelski goes into the Hall of Fame with Parise. Both have the qualities that any general manager is looking for, and they played without seeking the spotlight.

“He just did it with no fanfare,” Poile said of Pavelski. “Terrific personality. Another very, hugely valuable player to any team that he played for. Where does Pavelski fit in? Anywhere that you want to put him. Because again, he can do it all. Both of these guys [Pavelski and Parise are] honest, honest players. They don’t cheat the game. They show up every night. They play hard every night. They produce every night. They’re consistent in capital letters. And you win with guys like Pavelski and Parise.”

Burke found that out with the 2010 Olympic team. He learned what McLellan already knew: Pavelski was among the best American players in the sport.

“He was amazed we were having the conversation,” Burke said of that talk. “He said, ‘I’m really grateful you’re giving me this kind of time. But what are you doing? You guys don’t have anyone as good as Joe on your team. Why are you here?’ He thought I was wasting his time, which I loved.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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