Former Sharks GM: 'Mistake' letting Pavelski walk in 2019

Former San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson regrets letting Joe Pavelski walk in free agency in 2019.

"We should have found a way to get it done," Wilson told San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng. "It was a mistake."

After departing San Jose, the recently retired Pavelski remained a top-six forward for five seasons.

Pavelski, who was 34 when the Sharks let him go, was coming off of a 38-goal, 64-point campaign and had played his entire 13-season career in San Jose up to that point.

San Jose signed Erik Karlsson to a big-money contract in 2019, leaving minimal cap space to ink Pavelski. He went to free agency and signed a three-year pact with the Dallas Stars at a $7-million cap hit, a $1-million raise from his prior contract.

"Sometimes, you can overanalyze things," Wilson, now a senior advisor with the Pittsburgh Penguins, said. "But I, as a GM, with my love for (Pavelski) and realizing how special he was, I look back, I probably should have dismissed historical analysis of contracts for players that age and said, 'Screw it.'"

Pavelski remained with the Stars for the rest of his career. His best campaign came in 2021-22, scoring 27 goals and 81 points.

Wilson lauded Pavelski's unique skill set and intelligence as key reasons the four-time All-Star was such an effective player for so long.

"What he used to do in front of the net, with his ability to deflect pucks and get the proper positioning, was a combination of guts, and courage, and fortitude, but also brilliance with knowing how to separate and get away and the timing of things," Wilson said. "He thought the game at such a high level, coupled with the willingness to go to those areas."

Wilson also expressed his appreciation to Pavelski after he announced his retirement.

"I said, 'I tip my hat to you and am so amazed by everything you've accomplished.' It's not surprising. I wish, in hindsight, we would have kept him."