- Wisconsin named Joe Pavelski its director of player development on Thursday
- He is the all-time NHL points leader among former Badgers with 1,068
- Read below for Pavelski’s full comments on returning to Madison
Joe Pavelski is a Badger again.
Wisconsin announced Thursday that the 18-year NHL veteran is joining Mike Hastings’ staff as director of player development, 20 years after he led the Badgers to the 2006 national championship as the team’s leading scorer.
Pavelski explained why the job pulled at him.
“I’m excited to help out at Wisconsin, a place that’s close to my heart. Growing up in the state and being a Badger fan, then being able to spend two years winning a national title for the Badgers, it was such a big stepping-stone in my career. I learned so much in how to train and how to be a professional.”
He was not the only addition. Wisconsin brought back Andy Brandt as an assistant coach after three years as head coach and general manager of the USHL’s Madison Capitols, and hired longtime NHL goaltending coach Steve Briere as director of goaltending development.
Briere spent the last three seasons coaching goalies in Seattle and seven before that in Toronto, where he worked with Frederik Andersen and Jack Campbell.
The résumé Pavelski walks in with is tough to match. He retired in 2024 with 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 games, more than any Badger has ever put up in the NHL.
His 74 playoff goals are an American record, and he is one of only five players in league history to reach 1,000 points after being drafted in the seventh round or later. San Jose took him 205th overall in 2003.
Coaching is not new territory for him. Pavelski spent the past two seasons behind the bench for his son Nate’s AAA team in Madison, and he interviewed for the Maple Leafs head coaching job back in June.
Hastings talked about what Pavelski gives the program beyond the numbers.
“He has been a captain and leader at every level of the game, and those experiences have shaped him into the person and leader he is today. His hockey knowledge, competitive drive and ability to connect with players will be invaluable to our program.”
Wisconsin has leaned on his voice in its recruiting pitch for years already. Take a look at him narrating what being a Badger means:
The Badgers lost the national championship game to Denver last spring and open the 2026-27 season on Oct. 2.
