Pavelski on His Post-Retirement Future, Wearing Sharks Gear Once Again

Joe Pavelski is back in a San Jose Sharks jersey…for one day.

In honor of Joe Thornton, who’s having his No. 19 retired by the Sharks on Saturday, Pavelski donned teal once again in Friday’s alumni Legends Game.

Pavelski talked before the game about wearing San Jose Sharks gear once again, his thoughts about the 2024-25 Sharks and Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, and his future.

Pavelski, on being back in San Jose:

It’s awesome, it really is. Flying in the other day, getting here, being here for a day or two, seeing all the faces, you forget how much you miss it. You miss the place and miss the people. It’s fun. We’ve been back a little bit, obviously, when we were playing with Dallas. It’s fun to be back without a game and little bit looser. It’s been a great start to the week. Today’s game will be just a blast out there.

Pavelski, on seeing No. 19 and No. 12 in the rafters:

It’s amazing, you know. When you look back to then, you don’t realize how fortunate you are as a young kid to come into the locker room you did — with the people and the characters and just how much fun we had and how much you can learn. It was definitely a huge building block for me, coming in there and being around these guys. It’s awesome.

Pavelski, as the most recent retiree, being expected to carry his Legends team:

We’ll see. Our goaltending is Nabby. Looking forward to get out there, I haven’t skated much — a couple times here and there, once or twice with the beer leagues, and coaching on the ice. It’ll be fun to get up there.

Pavelski, on the process of getting invited to an event like this:

It’s pretty easy. It’s something you’re very fortunate, very thankful to be a part of — being able to make it, it’s going to be very special. Playing during Patty’s, I kind of have somewhat of a regret after seeing it, wish you could have been a part of it a little bit more. Definitely excited to be a part of this one and just really enjoy and take it in.

Pavelski happy to be wearing Sharks gear again pic.twitter.com/Y6WkLj00XE

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Pavelski, on wearing San Jose Sharks gear once again, courtesy of equipment manager Mike Aldrich:

Feels great, it really does. One of the first stops when you get in the locker room is “Mikey, I need some gear.” Mine’s packed away in storage right now, and I need some new stuff.

Pavelski, on the first time that he was on a line with Thornton:

It was, it was great. Obviously, you’re with a player you want to play with. Coming in your first two years, there’s certain areas of the game you’re trying to do, to not just stay in line up and have success. Then you play with him, and you learn real quick where he wants the puck and where to get open, and then expect it at all points. It was something that grew quick, I think, and I found a lot of success with it. It was just some of the best hockey playing with him.

Pavelski, on how Jumbo embraced him when he was younger:

Yeah, 100 percent. Kind of touched on it earlier. You’ll never take that for granted. You might not completely understand it until you get a little bit older how grateful you were to come into a locker room like this and have those types of guys around. How fast you can learn from them and then go up and do it and try to get better each day and just have a blast.

Pavelski, on how taking in a young player a la Thornton with Macklin Celebrini and Pavelski with Wyatt Johnston in Dallas can meaningful to a young player:

I remember some dinners at Jumbo’s house my first year or two and sitting out the by the pool and talking about certain things and having some laughs. Those things stuck with me, and I still remember it. He’s bounced around to a different house or two, but I definitely remember sitting in that backyard and having those conversations and those dinners and the laughs.

Being able to play and have Wyatt around for two years, I’m sure he got a lot out of it — I think I got just as much out of it and our family. Such a great kid he is, and we’ve heard awesome things about Will and Macklin here.

There’s maybe a little different dynamics as far as we’re playing and living it and going through the ups and downs together, and talking out of slumps and hot streaks and stuff like that.

Jumbo still feels the game and wants it. He’s as big of a fan as anybody. On the flip side, I’m sitting in my house watching every Stars and Sharks game I can kind of have on the TV just because you know so much about it and still feel a part of it. It’s awesome, I think he’s probably really enjoying it as well.

Pavelski, on if there’s a San Jose Sharks alumni here that he’s looking forward to seeing again:

Everybody, it’s been so much fun so far.

Pavelski, on this year’s Sharks:

Very exciting team. Young, obviously. It’s good to see them kind of get going now and playing. You got some of those young kids and guys, and you’re watching. You’re cheering for them. You’ve been a part of it, you always feel it. It’s a great organization, and you want to see them keep having that success and keep growing.

Pavelski, on talking to Mike Grier about coming back to the San Jose Sharks organization:

I like the game. We talk. Dallas, there’s been a few teams that call and always offer something. These first few years, it’s going to be all about family and being around and taking a step back a little bit. If there’s conversations to be had, then they’ll happen, but no strings attached right now. Not too worried about that.

Pavelski, on if he’s done playing:

We’re just day by day right now, just getting through the hunting season right now.

Pavelski, on his emotions tomorrow:

You watch it from afar, and you feel a lot of emotions. There’s just all the experiences, all the memories, competing together, there’s going to be plenty of emotions. I’m just very grateful to be a part of it and feel all that coming into it.There’s definitely a little excitement around it, that’s for sure.

Pavelski, on his favorite Joe Thornton memory:

There’s too many of them. Obviously that Game Seven is one of the biggest. Seeing his face right there after I went down and coming out one of my first times back. I just remember him saying, “We’ve got you, you’re gonna be alright.” Those types of things. That’s one that definitely sticks with me. There’s a lot in the locker room — it’s just a big accumulation of everything.