Sharks Legend Inducted Into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

The 2025 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee class features San Jose Sharks legend Joe Pavelski.

Pavelski played for San Jose from 2006 until 2019 and recently retired following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. The forward ended his NHL career with 1,068 points across 476 goals and 592 assists. He was inducted on Dec. 10 in St. Paul, Minnesota, along with photographer Bruce Bennett and fellow players Scott Gomez, Tara Mounsey and Zach Parise, also with executive Ray Shero being honored as the Lester Patrick Trophy winner. For the U.S., Pavelski played on two Olympic teams, including both the 2010 and 2014 teams.

Quite the accomplished skater when under pressure, he reached the third round of the NHL playoffs seven times, played in the Stanley Cup Final twice and skated in the Olympics twice, winning a silver medal in Vancouver in 2010.

David Poile, Team USA’s assistant general for the 2010 Olympics and general manager in 2014, said Pavelski was known for having an instant impact on USA Hockey.

“How many times did we have to see that over and over again?” said Poile to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. “When people said, [Pavelski] 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.”

Joe Pavelski Forever Remembered a San Jose Shark

Pavelski was originally selected by the Sharks in the seventh-round (No. 205) of the 2003 NHL Draft before working his way up to his legendary league career.

Apr 18, 2019; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski (8) reacts after scoring a goal on an empty net against the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period of game five of the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

2013-14 is a memorable year for San Jose and Paveslki fans alike; Pavelski was named the Sharks Player of the Year, finished seventh in Hart Trophy voting and was eighth in Selke Trophy balloting after having three hat tricks and being named to the NHL Second All-Star Team.

Pavelski was promptly named captain of the Sharks to start the 2015-16 season — he then led San Jose with 38 goals and tied for the best plus-minus rating on the Sharks at plus-25.

One of the greats. 🦈🇺🇸 https://t.co/CPfRoBZ6Wh
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) December 10, 2025

"So happy for him," said fellow Sharks legend Joe Thorton. "He was so good at so many things out there."

Thornton, otherwise known as "Jumbo Joe," was recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame via the 2025 class.

For the red, white and blue, Pavelski — a Wisconsin native — became only the 10th United States-born player in NHL history to score 400 goals. Additionally, he was the 199th NHL player, and the 18th born in the United States, to score 300 goals.

Prior to retirement in 2014, Paveslki became the seventh United States-born player in NHL history to reach 1,300 games. He finished his NHL career with 1,332 games and left a lasting impact on the entire San Jose franchise.

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