San Jose Sharks Forward Joe Pavelski To Return To U.S. Olympic Team
By Phil Watson
Dec 12, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski (8) shoots and scores against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
San Jose Sharks forward Joe Pavelski was one of 25 players named Wednesday to the squad that will represent the United States at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, next month.
The 29-year-old Pavelski was also on the U.S. team that won a silver medal in 2010 at Vancouver.
The team was named in Ann Arbor, Mich., Wednesday after the Winter Classic between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium.
For Pavelski it is a chance at some redemption. In overtime of the gold medal game against Canada in Vancouver, Pavelski’s wrist shot was turned aside by Canadian goalie Roberto Luongo just moments before Sidney Crosby scored the game—and gold-medal—winner for Canada.
"“I remember in overtime just kind of knocking a puck down right in front of the net there and just turning and firing,” Pavelski told CSNBayArea.com as part of a conference call after the announcement. “Just one of those feel plays and you come back to the [bench] and I remember (backup goalie) Tim Thomas just kind of saying how close it was. Luongo made a little save with his shoulder to keep the game going.”"
There are a total of 13 Americans going to Sochi who also represented the U.S. in Vancouver.
The entire 25-man U.S. roster, with their NHL teams in parentheses, includes:
Goalies: Jimmy Howard (Detroit), Ryan Miller (Buffalo), Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles).
Defense: John Carlson (Washington), Justin Faulk (Carolina), Cam Fowler (Anaheim), Paul Martin (Pittsburgh), Ryan McDonagh (Rangers), Brooks Orpik (Pittsburgh), Kevin Shattenkirk (St. Louis), Ryan Suter (Minnesota).
Forwards: David Backes (St. Louis), Dustin Brown (Los Angeles), Ryan Callahan (Rangers), Patrick Kane (Chicago), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver),Phil Kessel (Toronto), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis), Max Pacioretty (Montreal), Zach Parise (Minnesota), Joe Pavelski (San Jose), Paul Stastny (Colorado), Derek Stepan (Rangers), James van Riemsdyk (Toronto), Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg).
Among the notable American players left off the roster are winger Bobby Ryan of Ottawa and Columbus defenseman Jack Johnson, who were both on the 2010 team. Phoenix defenseman Keith Yandle also did not make the cut.
Pavelski had 16 goals and 37 points for the Sharks in 40 games this season and has scored 166 goals and 373 points in his seven-plus seasons in San Jose. He was originally a seventh-round pick of the Sharks in 2003 and played junior hockey for Waterloo of the U.S. Hockey League before playing two years at the University of Wisconsin. He is a native of Wisconsin.
During the 2010 Olympics, Pavelski played six games for the U.S. and recorded three assists. He also had a goal and an assist for the U.S. at the 2009 World Championships in Switzerland.
The Olympic hockey competition will be held from Feb. 8-23 at both the Bolshoy Ice Dome and Shayba Arena in Sochi. The U.S. will be in Group A along with Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Group B includes Austria, Canada, Finland and Norway while the Czech Republic, Latvia, Sweden and Switzerland comprise Group C.