NHL general manager admits he made a major mistake with Joe Pavelski
Former San Jose Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson admits he made a mistake by letting Joe Pavelski leave the organization.
In the summer of 2019, the Sharks decided not to re-sign their captain, Joe Pavelski, who then joined the Dallas Stars as an unrestricted free agent. Pavelski spent the last five seasons of his NHL career with the Stars, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 and back-to-back Western Conference Finals in 2023 and 2024.
In a recent interview, Wilson acknowledged that he should have kept Pavelski with the Sharks.
He added, "Sometimes, you can overanalyze things. But I as a GM, with my love for Pavs and realizing how special he was, I look back, I probably should have dismissed historical analysis of contracts for players that age and said screw it."
Since Pavelski's departure in 2019, the Sharks have gone through many changes and have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing last in their division twice, including the 2023-24 season, which gave them their first-ever first overall pick. The Sharks are now looking to rebuild, led by top prospects Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.
Last month, Joe Pavelski announced his retirement after 18 seasons in the NHL. He finished his career with 1,068 points (476 goals, 592 assists) in 1,332 games, along with 143 points in 201 playoff games. Pavelski's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame seems likely.
If the Sharks had kept Pavelski in 2019, they might have extended their core group for a few more playoff runs. Now, after a rebuild, the Sharks are aiming for future playoff success.
Source: Blade Of SteelFormer Sharks GM Doug Wilson says he made mistake with Joe Pavelski
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4 AOUT | 48 ANSWERS NHL general manager admits he made a major mistake with Joe Pavelski Do you think Joe Pavelski deserves a Stanley Cup? | ||
| Yes | 32 | 66.7 % |
| No | 16 | 33.3 % |
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