Dallas Stars players left emotional facing questions surrounding Joe Pavelski's contract and future in NHL

Dallas Stars players were emotional after they were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Edmonton Oilers. Dallas dropped three consecutive games after winning Game 2 and 3 to lose the series. After the game, the future of 39-year-old Joe Pavelski remains uncertain. He signed a one-year deal for the 2023–24 season and is now a pending free agent.

Following the Stars being eliminated, several players were emotional, discussing Pavelski possibly retiring without a Stanley Cup.

Tyler Seguin: "Since Day 1 since he's been in here, he's meant everything to our group, you know, on the ice, off the ice, all our golf games; he's improved all those, you know. He's just an amazing person to have here."

Jamie Benn: "The world. All-time teammate, a good person, a great leader, and a good friend."

Mason Marchment: "I mean, I can't thank him and his family enough for what they've done for me."

Ryan Suter: "I can’t speak for Joe, but for myself, it’s the only reason I’m playing. My kids are at the age now where I want to spend more time with them and be a part of what they’re doing, whether it’s hockey or other sports or school or whatever. But for me, that’s the reason I’m playing. You hear so many good stories."

It was an emotional time for several Stars players, as Pavelski was a leader in the room and gave Marchment a place to stay when he went to Dallas.

Stars coach heaps praise on Joe Pavelski

Players weren't the only ones who were emotionally discussing Joe Pavelski. Head coach Pete DeBoer said it would be an honor to coach Pavelski if he did decide to retire.

“I don’t know if it’ll be Joe’s last game or not,” said DeBoer, who coached Pavelski with the San Jose Sharks from 2015-19 and the Stars the past two seasons, via NHL.com. “But [it was the] absolute privilege of my coaching career to coach a guy like that.”

Pavelski has been in the NHL since 2006 and has played in 1,332 regular-season games, along with 201 playoff games. If Pavelski does retire, he will be a future Hall of Famer, but the Stanley Cup is the lone thing that alluded him in his career.