The Sharks made a logical decision. General manager Doug Wilson learned from the late Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls as coach of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s and believed it was better to part with a player too early than too late.
Pavelski ranked fourth in games (963), second in goals (355), third in assists (406) and third in points (761) in Sharks history, and he tied his NHL career high in goals (38) in 2018-19. But his shooting percentage (20.2) that season was an NHL career high, and he had dealt with multiple injuries, making his production seem unsustainable.
"A player may be a superstar this year, but with minor injuries nicking at him and starting to add up, he won't be a superstar three years from now," Walsh once said.
Pavelski has long defied logic, though. He was selected by the Sharks in the seventh round (No. 205) of the 2003 NHL Draft, and has never been big or fast. But he has had a strong work ethic and something to prove, plus elite hockey sense and a talent for tipping pucks.
As he has gotten older, the NHL has gotten younger and faster. But he has continued to excel with the same mentality and skill set that helped him make it in the first place.
"I believe I'm one of the faster slow guys out there, just with reactions and anticipating plays," Pavelski said. "You're just playing the game of hockey at times. It's fun. It's fun to work and try to keep up with these kids, because there is some talent out there.
"They're doing things that I can't, but I can definitely manage and get around and do a few things and hang with them. I'm not worried about it that way. I love lining up against them and competing, and [we'll] try to do that as long as we can."
Pavelski scored 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 67 games his first season in Dallas, then 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 27 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Stars lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Last season, he scored 51 points (25 goals, 26 assists) in 56 games.
Now this.
"I mean, there's no slowing down in his game," Lightning center Steven Stamkos said. "He's a guy that it just goes to show, you know, he might not be the fastest guy in the world, but he's one of the smartest guys on the ice. His skills haven't diminished in terms of being able to make the plays.
"I think sometimes we get caught, especially with the amount of skill and speed that it's in our game now, that a guy needs to skate like [Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid] or [Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar] to be successful.
"Sure, it absolutely helps, and we all want to be able to skate that fast. But there's something to be said about knowing your surroundings and knowing where to go on the ice and knowing how to use your teammates."
The 2022 NHL Trade Deadline is March 21 and the opening of free agency July 13. The Stars (23-18-2) are fifth in the Central Division and four points behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. If they fall out of the race, will they trade Pavelski, who is still striving for his first championship? To whom? Who will sign him to his next contract? For how long?
Eventually logic will win. Everyone declines at some point. But when?
"San Jose made a decision a while back, and we'll see how this one looks," Pavelski said. "But right now, you just try to take care of your own business and just enjoy playing and enjoy being around the guys, really make it more about the team than about yourself. Hockey has a good way of humbling you at times and a good way of repaying you when you do things the right way."
