Is Joe Pavelski playing tonight against the Minnesota Wild? Latest update ahead of Game 2 - April 19, 2023

The Dallas Stars' Joe Pavelski suffered an unspecified injury during Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild on Monday. He will not play in Game 2 after neing placed in the NHL's concussion protocol, per Mike Heika.

Pavelski left the game during the second period after taking a massive hit from the Wild's Matt Dumba behind the net. The 38-year-old appeared to hit his head on the ice and didn't return to the game. Pavelski had logged one assist and two penalty minutes through 10:08 of ice time prior to getting injured.

According to Brien Rea, head coach Peter DeBoer "was not confident" about Pavelski's return to the lineup tonight and have hence recalled Riley Tufte from their AHL affilliate, Texas Stars.

His absence in the lineup would be a major blow for the Stars, as Pavelski has been a key player for them this season. He has produced 26 goals and 50 points in 73 games and was expected to be a major contributor in the playoffs.

Pavelski's injury could also have an impact on the Stars' power play, as he has been one of their most effective players with the man advantage. He had 12 power-play goals and 20 power-play points in the regular season, ranking second on the team in both categories.

The Stars will need to find a way to compensate for Pavelski's absence if he is unable to play in Game 2. They have a deep roster and several talented players who can step up in his absence, but Pavelski's leadership and experience will be difficult to replace.

A look at Joe Pavelski's NHL career

Joe Pavelski has had an impressive NHL career, spanning over 15 years. Pavelski was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL draft, beginning his professional career.

Joe Pavelski's scoring abilities were apparent early on as he made his NHL debut with the Sharks in 2006, scoring a goal in his first game. He quickly established himself as a reliable scorer, helping the Sharks to multiple playoff appearances and earning himself a spot on the United States Olympic team in 2010.

Pavelski also became known for his clutch performances in the postseason, becoming the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1992 to score more than once in three consecutive playoff games during the 2010 playoffs.

In 2014, Joe Pavelski had a breakout season, setting NHL career highs with 41 goals and 79 points. He also became the fourth player in Sharks history to score 40 goals in a season and was named to the NHL's second All-Star Team.

Pavelski became the Sharks' captain in 2015 and led the team to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016.

After spending 13 seasons with the Sharks, Joe Pavelski signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent in 2019. He made an immediate impact, scoring 14 goals in his first season with the team and leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.

Pavelski continued to reach milestones with the Stars, becoming the 10th US-born player in NHL history to score 400 goals. He reached 1,000 career points in April 2023.