SAN JOSE, California – San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the club has signed center Joe Pavelski to a five-year contract extension. The extension will commence on July 1, 2014 following the expiration of Pavelski’s current contract.

“Joe has been an important part of our success over the last several years and we are excited to have him with our club for the next six seasons,” said Wilson.

In 2012-13, Pavelski finished tied-for-third on the team in points (31), ranked third in goals (16), assists (15) and shots (130) and appeared in all 48 regular season games for San Jose. Amongst all NHL players, Pavelski ranked tied for sixth in game-winning goals (5), tied for fourth in home goals (13) and tied for ninth amongst League forwards in blocked shots (44).

He tied for the team lead with five game-winning goals, ranked second amongst Sharks forwards in blocked shots (44) and his five power-play tallies ranked tied for third. Pavelski recorded the second-highest time on ice per game amongst Sharks forwards (18:54), led forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game (1:33) and compiled a +2 plus/minus rating and 10 penalty minutes.

The seventh-year center played in all 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Sharks, leading the team in points (12) and assists (8; tied) while ranking third in goals (4) and second in both power-play goals (3) and shots (36). Pavelski opened the playoffs by collecting eight points (four goals, four assists) in the four-game WCQF series against Vancouver, including tying a Sharks postseason franchise record by scoring two power-play goals in the series-clinching Game Four against the Canucks.

Pavelski, selected in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL Draft, ranks 10th amongst his draft class in points per game (0.70) and is the only player in the top-15 to be selected after the second round. Since 2010-11, he ranks tied for third in points (158) amongst all American-born players in the NHL and has been invited to attend Team USA’s Men's National Team Orientation Camp in August in preparation for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Pavelski won the silver medal with Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The 29-year-old has recorded 336 points (150 goals, 186 assists), a +41 rating and 183 penalty minutes in 479 career NHL games with San Jose.

In 74 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, he has compiled 50 points (24 goals, 26 assists) and 30 penalty minutes. In franchise playoff history Pavelski currently ranks second in goals (24) and game-winning goals (7), third in points (50), fifth in assists (26), fourth in games played (74) and tied for first in overtime goals (3).

The five-foot-eleven, 190-pound native of Plover, Wisconsin was originally selected by San Jose in the seventh round (205th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft.