The All-Star weekend was almost perfect for Joe Pavelski.
The Stars forward won the NHL's 21 in '22 skills competition on Friday, captained the Central Division team that made it to the finals, and tallied two goals and two assists in the two-game tournament.
If he would've just been able to get a win and a part of the $1 million kitty that went to the winner - a 5-3 victory for the Metro Division handed them that price - it might've been perfect.
[RELATED: PAVELSKI ALL-STAR WEEKEND PHOTOS]
Well, that's not exactly true. Pavelski was able to celebrate as the oldest player at the game (37) in his fourth All-Star appearance, and he also underscored the fact he's having the best statistical season of his career. All in all, that sounds pretty perfect.
"It's such a great honor to be there and play with those guys," Pavelski said before he left. "You love it every time you get to go."
The 3-on-3 format worked well for Pavelski, who is a heady player that uses the open ice. He was able to create a lot of opportunities and assisted on Jordan Kyrou's goal in the 8-5 win over the Atlantic Division in the semifinal. He also scored an empty-net goal in that game. In the Final, he helped set up Clayton Keller's goal to tie the game at 1-1, and then added a snipe to cut the Central's deficit to 4-3 in the second period.
Video: CEN@MET: Pavelski takes it himself on 2-on-1
He clearly had plenty of smiles on and off the ice. Pavelski was able to bring family members, most notably his 11-year-old son Nate, who was front and center for a lot of the activities.
Also attending was Pavelski's wife Sarah, as well as all of Nate's grandparents. Nate brought friend and Dallas Stars Elite teammate Owen Baldwin, and his dad, as well.
"That's the best part of it," Pavelski said beforehand. "It's great to share it with everyone."
Pavelski didn't get the rest others received before the team starts a pretty intense schedule. Dallas has almost a game every two days to finish the season and is behind in the chase to catch a playoff spot. While Pavelski said he enjoys the games, he also understands the pace is difficult.
"Last year, I do think that probably got to us a little," he said of an intense finish caused by postponements from COVID and a winter weather storm. This year, the Stars had to postpone six games, but had a nice cushion for rescheduling after the NHL decided to bow out of the 2022 Olympic Games.
Pavelski said he hopes they've learned some lessons from the experiences, and added that they have the right mindset.
"You can only play them one game at a time," he said. "So that's what we have to do."
Pavelski can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so that also throws a wildcard into the mix. If the Stars are struggling, they might consider trading him to a contender. If they're playing well, they might consider giving him a contract extension. It's definitely a liquid situation.
"He's been such a big part of the team and such a professional," Stars GM Jim Nill said, adding that whatever happens with his contract will take care of itself. "We've got a lot of games to play, and I think we're all focused on that right now."
Coming in off a perfect All-Star weekend, the belief is that Pavelski will be a huge part of the process.
As he walked out of the game on Saturday, he flashed a smile and gave Stars fans a strong greeting.
"Awesome time this weekend," he said on video. "Vegas crushed it."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
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All-Star Weekend creates lasting memories for the Pavelski family - BlueJackets.com
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