"Age is just a number, not a state of mind or a reason for any type of particular behavior." — Cecilia Ahern
Stars center and alternate captain Joe Pavelski proves age is just a number. Joe, also known as Captain America, was born on July 11, 1984, in Plover, Wisconsin, to Mike and Sandy Pavelski, and will turn 39 in a few months. Pavelski has played for the Dallas Stars after becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2019. Previously, he played for the San Jose Sharks from 2006 to 2019. He was drafted 205th overall in the seventh round by the Sharks in the 2003 NHL Draft out of the University of Wisconsin. He has shown the media members and the fans that he wasn't an average Joe, despite being a seventh-round draft pick in 2003. He has been enjoying a good, if not great, career as a professional hockey player.
Pavelski was the Sharks' captain from 2015 to 2019. He was named the Sharks' ninth captain in history on October 5, 2015, surpassing Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Pavelski was named the Stars' alternate captain ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season. Since then, he has played on the Stars' top line alongside Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. He's the type of player that can make any line better, and I'm sure you can see that the trio has meaningful chemistry and powerful offensive production. I talked to a few individuals about their thoughts to get a mix of unbiased opinions. Here's what they had to say. An anonymous journalist said:
"When Dallas moves on from [Jamie] Benn, I think they'll promote someone they drafted like Miro [Heiskanen] or Jason Robertson to captain. That seems to be how Dallas does things under GM Jim Nill."
An anonymous San Jose Sharks fan said:
"[Jamie] Benn's leadership works. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Plus, Pavs [Joe Pavelski] plays better when he doesn't have the pressure of [the] captain. Just like [Patrick] Marleau."
An anonymous Los Angeles Kings fan said:
"Perhaps [Joe] Pavelski doesn't want to wear the "C" as a Dallas Star."
While none of them are wrong, per se, only time will tell. We'll see what happens. Although this will probably be a long shot, I think that Pavelski should be the Stars' captain instead of Benn. He's thriving offensively, even at 38. He has been a durable forward throughout his NHL career. He's a veteran that has met the Stars' leadership and scoring needs. He's known for his work ethic and his drive can help the Stars on and off the ice. Do you agree or disagree Pavelski should be the Stars' captain instead of Benn? Let me know in the comments below.
