RSS Feeds
 |
|
|||||||||||||
Sports » Local
Article rated a 0
by 0
users |
Former Waterloo Black Hawk and current San Jose Shark Joe Pavelski, top, is shown here in his Black Hawks uniform.
COURIER FILE PHOTO
COURIER FILE PHOTO
~ADVERTISING~
Ice aged: Ex-Black Hawk Pavelski grows into NHL keeper
By JIM SULLIVAN, Courier Sports Writer
WATERLOO -- It seemed like a long season.
It also seemed like a short stay.
Such was Joe Pavelski's first tour of the National Hockey League.
A former Waterloo Black Hawk and University of Wisconsin forward, Pavelski joined the San Jose Sharks in November following a brief stint in the American Hockey League at Worcester. He played in 46 regular-season games, scoring 14 goals and dishing out 14 assists. An ankle injury, later diagnosed as a fracture, put him on the sidelines.
Leaving the injured list in mid-February, Pavelski finished 2006-2007 at San Jose and endured a disappointing finish. Detroit eliminated the Sharks in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
"It was a season that was kind of like three seasons," said Pavelski, who is spending part of his summer here. "There was the first part of it, then the injury, then the post-injury and the playoffs. It takes a toll when you play that many games at that high a level, especially when the guys are so skilled. I have to be on top of my game every day, so it takes a little more out of you when you play at that level."
For all the adjustments, the injury, the rehab and the crushing early exit from the playoffs, Pavelski is an NHL player now. Few reach that perch at all. Still, the man who helped the Black Hawks win the Clark Cup three years ago is not ready to put his feet up in satisfaction.
"I was a little bit right away, but to get a taste of it for 46 games is not enough," said Pavelski. "When all you want to do is sit back and really enjoy getting there, it'll probably be a pretty short career.
"When you get there and you get a taste of it, you don't want to be satisfied. You want to make a nice career of it. The level of play is so high here and the guys are having a great time. You can tell that by looking around the locker room. Everybody loves what they're doing."
Quickly, Pavelski learned to love the skills displayed by stars like fellow San Jose Shark Joe Thornton. Pavelski's own NHL rookie year began impressively. Then his production tapered off. Then a puck smacked Pavelski on his ankle.
He regrouped, of course. While watching and playing against the NHL's best, Pavelski learned one thing about his own game. He had to get stronger.
"It's been the primary question going over my whole career -- if I was ready," he said. "I handled it pretty good, but a lot of the game here is puck possession -- having the puck on your stick. Another big part is not turning it over. So you've got to be able to win the battles -- hold guys off. That comes down to more strength.
"My skating has also been an issue with me before. But with more strength, I'll become a better skater. So strength is the No. 1 issue right now."
Pavelski is getting help in that department from a familiar face. Mike Potenza, the Sharks' strength and conditioning coach, occupied the same post during Pavelski's college hockey career at Wisconsin. The two of them were part of the Badgers' national championship in 2006.
That's not the only way Pavelski has tapped his hockey roots. During the offseason, he has attended some of the Waterloo Black Hawks' camps. He maintains a close relationship with his old USHL coach, P.K. O'Handley.
With a wedding to Waterloo resident Sarah Peters on the personal schedule in July, life seems to be flying by since the Clark Cup in 2005.
"It's been three or four years, but it feels like two," said Pavelski. "It's happened so fast. I've been learning so much from the juniors to college right to the pros."
While Pavelski wants to extend what's been a short stay in San Jose, he has tasted a bit of the success he enjoyed in Waterloo and Wisconsin.
"I was kind of disappointed in how we finished and stuff, but you can't really have too much better of a season," he said. "With the team we have and some of the people I got to meet, I had a lot of fun and I learned a ton about the game and about myself."
Contact Jim Sullivan at (319) 291-1434 or jim.sullivan@wcfcourier.com
It also seemed like a short stay.
Such was Joe Pavelski's first tour of the National Hockey League.
A former Waterloo Black Hawk and University of Wisconsin forward, Pavelski joined the San Jose Sharks in November following a brief stint in the American Hockey League at Worcester. He played in 46 regular-season games, scoring 14 goals and dishing out 14 assists. An ankle injury, later diagnosed as a fracture, put him on the sidelines.
Leaving the injured list in mid-February, Pavelski finished 2006-2007 at San Jose and endured a disappointing finish. Detroit eliminated the Sharks in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
"It was a season that was kind of like three seasons," said Pavelski, who is spending part of his summer here. "There was the first part of it, then the injury, then the post-injury and the playoffs. It takes a toll when you play that many games at that high a level, especially when the guys are so skilled. I have to be on top of my game every day, so it takes a little more out of you when you play at that level."
For all the adjustments, the injury, the rehab and the crushing early exit from the playoffs, Pavelski is an NHL player now. Few reach that perch at all. Still, the man who helped the Black Hawks win the Clark Cup three years ago is not ready to put his feet up in satisfaction.
"I was a little bit right away, but to get a taste of it for 46 games is not enough," said Pavelski. "When all you want to do is sit back and really enjoy getting there, it'll probably be a pretty short career.
"When you get there and you get a taste of it, you don't want to be satisfied. You want to make a nice career of it. The level of play is so high here and the guys are having a great time. You can tell that by looking around the locker room. Everybody loves what they're doing."
Quickly, Pavelski learned to love the skills displayed by stars like fellow San Jose Shark Joe Thornton. Pavelski's own NHL rookie year began impressively. Then his production tapered off. Then a puck smacked Pavelski on his ankle.
He regrouped, of course. While watching and playing against the NHL's best, Pavelski learned one thing about his own game. He had to get stronger.
"It's been the primary question going over my whole career -- if I was ready," he said. "I handled it pretty good, but a lot of the game here is puck possession -- having the puck on your stick. Another big part is not turning it over. So you've got to be able to win the battles -- hold guys off. That comes down to more strength.
"My skating has also been an issue with me before. But with more strength, I'll become a better skater. So strength is the No. 1 issue right now."
Pavelski is getting help in that department from a familiar face. Mike Potenza, the Sharks' strength and conditioning coach, occupied the same post during Pavelski's college hockey career at Wisconsin. The two of them were part of the Badgers' national championship in 2006.
That's not the only way Pavelski has tapped his hockey roots. During the offseason, he has attended some of the Waterloo Black Hawks' camps. He maintains a close relationship with his old USHL coach, P.K. O'Handley.
With a wedding to Waterloo resident Sarah Peters on the personal schedule in July, life seems to be flying by since the Clark Cup in 2005.
"It's been three or four years, but it feels like two," said Pavelski. "It's happened so fast. I've been learning so much from the juniors to college right to the pros."
While Pavelski wants to extend what's been a short stay in San Jose, he has tasted a bit of the success he enjoyed in Waterloo and Wisconsin.
"I was kind of disappointed in how we finished and stuff, but you can't really have too much better of a season," he said. "With the team we have and some of the people I got to meet, I had a lot of fun and I learned a ton about the game and about myself."
Contact Jim Sullivan at (319) 291-1434 or jim.sullivan@wcfcourier.com
 |
 |
More Stories from Sports » Local
Ex-Panther coaching great reunites with former playersOn the green: Undulating greens make Hickory Grove stiff testSully Saturday: Sanderson adapts to public relations aspect of coachingBucks' bats silenced again in 3-2 defeatIce aged: Ex-Black Hawk Pavelski grows into NHL keeperWrestling: Go-Hawks hope summer workouts pay dividends
SPORTS EXTRAS
 CLICK HERE for a complete
listing
of local golf course tournaments |
Due to the amount of spam and negative comments received, the Courier implement a registered-user system for participation in the comment portion of our site. In doing so, the Courier reserves the right to ban any user(s) at any time without notice if we feel they are not following the terms of agreement.
DISCLAIMER: The Courier provides our story commenting feature in order to solicit feedback, debate and discussion on topics of local interest. Please keep in mind that civility is a necessary component of productive conversation. All blatantly inflammatory or otherwise inappropriate comments (i.e. vulgarity, marketing, etc.) are subject to rejection and/or removal. Comments will appear if and when they are approved. For a more in-depth explanation of our policy, please see our Rules of the Road. Thanks for reading, and thanks for participating.
~ADVERTISEMENT~
NEWS |
SPORTS |
COMMUNITY |
BUSINESS |
ENTERTAINMENT |
FEATURES |
OPINIONS |
OBITUARIES |
CLASSIFIEDS |
PRIVACY POLICY |
CONTACT US |
CARRIER PAGES
|