Nicknamed "Little Joe" and "Captain America", Pavelski scored a goal in his first NHL game, making him the 11th Sharks player in the history of the team to do so.

Internationally, Pavelski won a silver medal as a member of the United States men's national ice hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

"[5] His younger brother, Scott, was a student-athlete for four years with the University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team, but did not play professionally.

[6] Pavelski won a Wisconsin State Hockey Championship with SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High) Panthers in 2002.

[8] Pavelski played in 84 games over two seasons (2004–06) at the University of Wisconsin of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association He recorded 101 points (39–62).

He helped Wisconsin win the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship,[9] while leading the team in overall points.

[12] Pavelski had another solid season in 2008–09, playing in 80 games and recording 25 goals and 34 assists for 59 points, career-highs for all three statistics at the time.

[13] During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Pavelski signed with Belarusian team Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

[19][20] During the 2015–16 regular season, Pavelski tallied 78 points (38 goals and 40 assists) and he earned a spot in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.

[25] On July 1, 2019, as an unrestricted free agent, Pavelski signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Dallas Stars.

Pavelski was named an alternate captain for the 2021–22 season and has played on the Stars' top-line, alongside young guns Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson.

[32] Pavelski scored his 1,000th career point in a 6–1 win over the Detroit Red Wings with a goal on goaltender Ville Husso on April 10, 2023.

[33] Following the Stars' elimination from the 2024 playoffs in early June, Pavelski initially indicated that he planned to retire, though he declined to do so officially.

[34] A month and a half later, on July 16, 2024, five days after his 40th birthday, Pavelski formally announced his retirement from professional hockey.