Pavelski shares heartfelt message with fans as he retires.

It is officially over for veteran National Hockey League forward Joe Pavelski.

Although the news of Pavelski's retirement has been floating around for some time, the forward himself took to social media on Monday morning to share a heartfelt message with all the fans who have supported him over his many years in the NHL.

Pavelski shared the lengthy message via his Instagram account along with several photographs from special moments throughout his career. For the sake of preserving that message, here it is unedited and in full:

For the last 18 years, I have felt like one of the lucky ones. I was able to make my childhood dream come true playing in the NHL with two great franchises - first with San Jose and then with Dallas - surrounded by some of the best people the hockey world has to offer. My time in those cities allowed me to build deep connections with both fanbases, and that connection gave me the added fuel I needed to live up to the expectations I had set for myself.

There are two moments that stand out as favorites during my playing career, and funny enough, both started with me getting knocked out. Both incidents happened in the playoffs, once with San Jose against Vegas during the 2019 playoffs, and then again while I was playing for Dallas against Minnesota in 2023. In each of these instances, my teammates had my back and our team advanced deeper into the playoffs while I was recovering, giving me the chance to return to the lineup. I was lucky enough to score in both return games - a goal and an assist in game seven against Colorado with San Jose, and a four-goal game in game one against Seattle with Dallas.

Seeing Jumbo's face as I skated back to the bench, and his genuine excitement boiling over, is something that is etched in my brain to this day. And in Dallas, hearing the roar of the crowd that night at the American Airlines Center is something I will always remember. It was moments like these that deepened my understanding of what the hockey fan and player are all about, thriving on the miraculous and unlikely stories like these that keep us coming back for more.

I'll always hold on to the kindness and passion I received from my fans and teammates, especially during that process of missing playoff games and working my way back. There was nothing more important to me than playing in the playoffs. I cherished every single chance I got to chase a championship and it made coming to the rink every day exciting and extremely motivating. The love and support I felt from you all got me through challenging times and helped create those big moments, and these are now experiences that we cherish and share together.

To all the teammates, coaches and support staff that helped me during my career - I can't put into words my gratitude for everything you did for me and my family. You challenged and encouraged me, and the memories we made together will last a lifetime. The thrills of the game will fade but those bonds and friendships will be the most cherished thing I take from this great game.

Most importantly, I couldn't have done it without the unwavering support of my family. If I had to define one trait that helped me the most through this journey, it would be working hard. To my parents, brothers, and sister, I watched and learned that from you at a young age what it meant to dedicate yourself to hard work and persevere. Your teachings pushed me to be the best, not take anything for granted, and to be grateful for every small opportunity that life offers us. I can't thank you enough for all the love you have shown and how much you pushed me.

To my wife Sarah and son Nathan. You've been there the entire way and have been nothing but supportive of me. I live every day to make you both proud, and you both should know how proud you make me. There are so many moments that we get to share together, whether they're ups or downs, and there are no two people that I'd rather share it all with. You two are always in my heart, and this game was so much better because I got to share it with you.

I guess the theme is, my career was made better not by individual achievements, but by all the people who I got to share it with. Some of you I will get to thank in person, but for others, this is the only way I can do it. So, thank you to everyone who went on this journey with me.

Always a hockey guy, and forever grateful...
Joe

There's no question that Pavelski had an incredible career n the NHL with 1332 regular season games under his belt that included 476 goals and 592 assists for a total of 1068 career points as well as an additional 201 games, 74 goals, 69 assists and 143 total points over his career in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Unfortunately Pavelski never achieved his ultimate goal of winning a Stanley Cup championship but I am glad that, in spite of that, he has so many positive memories and friendships that he can reflect back on from his amazing time in the NHL.

I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.