NHL All-Star Weekend will be a 'special' moment for Joe Pavelski

Joe Pavelski has heard all the jokes.
The 37-year-old forward was selected to play in the NHL All-Star weekend Saturday and was named captain of the Central Division team.

"Respect the elderly, that's what I told him," said Stars coach Rick Bowness, who recently turned 67.
Meanwhile, good friend and fellow 37-year-old Ryan Suter said "I had a joke, but I won't say…let's just say he's like a fine wine."
Pavelski will be among five players taking part in a new event for the All-Stars Skills on Friday. Called
Las Vegas NHL 21 in '22
, it's a twist on blackjack that'll have five players standing on Las Vegas Boulevard and shooting at a deck of oversized cards on a rack. The goal will be to achieve a hand of 21 without going bust in the least amount of shots.
Along with Pavelski will be Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk.

The 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Game will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 5 (2 p.m. CT; ABC).
Pavelski seems like the one getting the last laugh. He's the Stars' leading scorer and he's scoring more than a point a game for the first time in his 16-year NHL career. Pavelski has 19 goals among 48 points in 43 games. He's the driving force on one of the top lines in the league with Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson, and he's the MVP for this year's edition of the Stars.
"He's been outstanding," said Stars general manager Jim Nill. "He leads by example on and off the ice. He's helped Robertson and Roope so much, and all three are getting rewarded with great stats. To be at the All-Star Game is great, and to be the captain that's just so great for him."
Bowness has been likewise impressed.
"He's a great player, and he's a great teammate," Bowness said.
For Pavelski, he's trying to stay nonplused. He's been focused on his health and diet for years, and he's been diligent in following a regimen that'll keep him competitive.
"It's part of the plan," he said. "Once you get to a certain level, you try to maintain it and get better in little areas from there. It's a lot of maintenance, doing things the same way every day, I have certain markers I like to keep. It's just staying on top of everything."
Nill said he's been impressed with athletes in general who have been able to maintain their effectiveness later in their careers. He pointed to Tom Brady, who just retired at age 44, as well as Alex Ovechkin, who is among the NHL scoring leaders at age 36.
"You look at athletes across all sports and they understand their bodies better than ever," Nill said. "It's a lifestyle, nutrition, training, diet, a lot of it is mental. They're dedicated to keep themselves at the top of their game, and it's fun to watch that."
One of the benefits for Pavelski is he gets to share these moments with his son Nate. He was on the bench with Pavelski for an earlier post-game interview and he will be able to hang around the festivities at the All-Star Game.
"He has a different understanding as well and he's got favorite players and he's excited as much as anyone," Pavelski said of Nate. "It's the whole experience of sharing it with friends and family, going there and enjoying your time."
Pavelski said that's one of the things that'll make the weekend so special. He says he's focused on his performance year-to-year and doesn't rule anything out in the future, but he understands that opportunities like this might not come around again.
"I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "Vegas is great, and to have the family there will be special."
He'll also be carrying the flag for his teammates and Stars nation. Hintz and Robertson both said they're excited to watch Pavelski, and Bowness said he too sees the honor as something special.
"He definitely deserves it," Bowness said. "He's earned it."
Nill said the impressive thing about Pavelski is how unflappable he is. He said that the attention to detail and the preparation is like a master class for younger players on the Stars, and he said the smart players soak up every nuance.
"For our young players, the best lesson in the world is simply to be around Joe and watch him prepare," Nill said. "A coach can say it, or a GM can say it, and it doesn't mean the same thing. You can tell players what to do, but to see someone do it every day and get the results he does, that's incredible."
Suter said Pavelski's a great example of what dedication means.
"He's having a great year," Suter said. "It's kind of funny, that before we're always joking around that we feel great and the younger guys are sore and beat up. I think Joe had a great mindset."
Pavelski said the payoff for the work is worth it. He said he loves playing on a line with Hintz and Robertson and loves having success.
"It's great, really," he said. "I can't wait to get out there every day."
And that's part of the beauty of this. He said he measures himself more on wins and playoff performance than points but added that the points are a big part of getting to where he wants to get. As for dealing with age, he said it's gratifying when a plan works out.
"You always believe you can do it, but you have to go out and prove it on the ice," he said. "Don't take anything for granted - that's something that has helped me along the way. I just love coming to the rink, and I've been very fortunate along the way."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.