Joe Pavelski joins Wisconsin as director of player development
A legendary alumni is becoming a Badger once again.
On Thursday, it was announced that Joe Pavelski is joining the University of Wisconsin’s men’s hockey program as director of player development.
Pavelski, 42, spent the past two seasons coaching his son Nate for the AAA Madison Capitals, including as the head coach for the U15 team last year, and as an assistant coach for the U14 team the year prior.
The Plover, Wisconsin native played his college hockey for Wisconsin in the 2005-05 and 2005-06 seasons. Over that time, he racked up 39 goals and 62 assists for 101 points in 84 combined games. He led Wisconsin to the 2006 NCAA Division I Championship, leading the team in points that year. He was elected into the University of Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025.
Of course, Pavelski is well known for his long and productive NHL career. Over 18 seasons split between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, Pavelski compiled 476 goals and 592 assists for 1,068 points in 1,332 career games. He played in the NHL All-Star Game four times, including during his career-best campaign of 2021-22 with the Stars in which he registered 27 goals and 54 assists for 81 points in all 82 games.
He was also instrumental in helping the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, and the Stars to do the same in 2020. He had 23 points in 24 playoff games for San Jose in 2016, and he had 19 points in 27 playoff games for Dallas in 2020.
He is currently the sixth-highest scoring American in NHL history, and the third-highest scorer in the Sharks’ franchise history.
Wisconsin is coming off a season in which they fell to the University of Denver in the National Championship game. They are looking to win their first championship since their Pavelski-led title in 2006.
