Does Joe Pavelski deserve a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

By Ryan Gagne

Modified Jun 05, 2024 23:13 GMT

For the second consecutive season, Joe Pavelski and the Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in six games. During the handshake line, many players took an extra moment to congratulate Pavelski on an outstanding 18-year career.

Although it is not official yet, he mentioned in the post-season media availability that he is considering retirement. After 18 seasons, including the last five with the Stars, Pavelski has netted 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 games. Are these totals enough to earn an introduction to the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Does Joe Pavelski deserve a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

The short answer on whether Pavelski will get a plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame is no. As a seventh-round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he has had a very distinguished career, which included two trips to the Stanley Cup Final and five 30-goal seasons.

His best season for goals was 2013-14, when he lit the lamp 41 times, while his best campaign for points came in 2021-22 with 81. Overall, his points-per-game average is 0.80.

Unfortunately, one of the most significant setbacks for his admission to the Hockey Hall of Fame is that he never won an award during his career. According to his profile on Hockey-Reference, he was never a finalist for any individual awards, with a fifth-place finish in Lady Byng voting in 2015-16.

Pavelski was captain of the San Jose Sharks for four seasons.

During his 41-goal season in 2013-14, he earned post-season All-Star honors, the only time he achieved it. Regarding the mid-season classic, he participated in the 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022 All-Star Games.

If anyone from the nomination committee considers him, it would be based on his playoff performances. With four overtime goals, he is tied for sixth all-time with 15 other skaters. He ranks 13th with 74 goals in 201 games and has skated in the 22nd most contests in NHL playoff history.

However, another drawback is that he never won the Stanley Cup and is the only member of the 200-playoff game club without a ring.

Hockey Hall of Fame Comparisons

Many fans would argue that winning a championship isn't the only requirement to enter the Hall of Fame. Henrik Lundqvist, Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Eric Lindros, Pierre Turgeon, Jarome Iginla, Paul Kariya, and Phil Housley have plaques in Toronto without their names on the Stanley Cup.

However, a case for each player can be made as to why they made it. Lundqvist has the sixth most wins by a goalie, Iginla scored over 600 goals, and Housley has the fourth most points by a defenseman.

Unfortunately, Pavelski never scored 500 goals and wasn't a point-per-game player. Despite ranking in the top 10 in the San Jose Sharks record book, he didn't have a standout career, which will hurt his chances of receiving that special phone call from the selection committee many players dream of.