Mark Pavelich

Mark Thomas Pavelich (born February 28, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played 355 regular season games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks between 1981 and 1992. Pavelich was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal in what has been called the "Miracle on Ice".

Mark Pavelich
Born (1958-02-28) February 28, 1958
Eveleth, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Center
Shot Right
Played for New York Rangers
Minnesota North Stars
San Jose Sharks
National team  United States
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 1981–1992
Mark Pavelich
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
1980 Lake Placid Team competition

Amateur career

The son of Croatian immigrants, Pavelich grew up in rural Eveleth, Minnesota. A star performer on his high school hockey team, Eveleth High School. He attended the University of Minnesota Duluth as an amateur player for three seasons in 1977–79. Pavelich is best known for being a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, that won the gold medal in Lake Placid. In the game against the Soviet Union, Pavelich was credited with two assists, including one on Mike Eruzione's game-winning goal.

Professional career

After the Olympics, Pavelich, who was not drafted by an NHL team, played one season for HC Lugano in Switzerland where he registered 73 points. He returned to the US national team for the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament. He was brought back to the United States the following year by his former US Olympic coaches Herb Brooks and Craig Patrick, who managed of the New York Rangers. Despite his size, Pavelich thrived in his role as a center for the Rangers, and holds the Rangers record for most points as a rookie (76). However, his career in New York was ended by a feud with Brooks' successor Ted Sator, who introduced a traditional North American dump-and-chase style of play.

Pavelich briefly played for Brooks with the Minnesota North Stars in 1987 before returning to Europe. He had a stint in Britain for the Dundee Rockets and played two seasons in Italy for HC Bolzano. The expansion San Jose Sharks brought him out of retirement for the 1991–92 NHL season, but he would play only two games for the Sharks before retiring. However, he did record an assist on the Sharks' first-ever goal, scored by Craig Coxe in the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on October 4, 1991.

On February 23, 1983, Pavelich became the first American ever to score five goals in a single game, against the Hartford Whalers at Madison Square Garden; he remains the only American to do so.

Legacy

In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Pavelich at No. 83 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first 82 seasons.[1]

Personal life

Pavelich married Kara Burmachuk in 1994; they had no children. She died at age 44 in an accidental fall from a second-story balcony at their Lutsen, Minnesota, home on Thursday, September 6, 2012.[2]

In April 2014, Pavelich announced that he was putting his Olympic medal up for auction, with bidding beginning at $62,500.[3] The medal sold in May 2014 for $262,900 through Dallas-based auction house Heritage Auctions.[4] Pavelich is the second player from the 1980 team to put a medal up for sale, with teammate Mark Wells having sold his in late 2010.[5]

Pavelich's brother-in-law was also a hockey player and now coaches for the Hibbing Bluejackets, in Hibbing, Minnesota.

Arrest

Pavelich was arrested on Aug. 15, 2019, after allegedly assaulting and seriously injuring a neighbor with whom he'd earlier been fishing.[6] He was charged with four felony counts: second- and third-degree assault, possession of a short-barreled shotgun and possession of a firearm with a missing or altered serial number. On Oct. 28, Pavelich's upcoming trial was suspended and he was found incompetent to stand trial by Cook County District Judge Michael Cuzzo, who said Pavelich "lacks the ability to rationally consult with counsel, is incapable of understanding the proceedings, and is incapable of participating in the defense due to mental illness or deficiency." Cuzzo initiated civil commitment proceedings.[7] On Dec. 4, Cuzzo ruled that Pavelich is mentally ill and dangerous and ordered him committed to a secure treatment facility.[8]

Pavelich's sister, Jean Gevik, has said that she believes he is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and had noticed behavioral changes in the years leading up to the incident which led to his arrest.[9]

In Miracle on Ice, a 1981 TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team, Pavelich is portrayed by Jack Blessing.

In the 2004 Disney film Miracle, he is portrayed by Chris Koch. Koch played junior hockey for the Delta Ice Hawks in his native Canada before concussions ended his career.[10]

Awards and achievements
Award Year
All-WCHA First Team 1978–79 [11]
AHCA West All-American 1978–79 [12]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1975–76 Eveleth High School HS-MN ————— —————
1976–77 University of Minnesota-Duluth WCHA 37127198 —————
1977–78 University of Minnesota-Duluth WCHA 3614304444 —————
1978–79 University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs WCHA 3731487952 —————
1979–80 United States National Team Intl 5315304512 —————
1980–81 HC Lugano NDA 28242549— —————
1981–82 New York Rangers NHL 7933437667 61560
1982–83 New York Rangers NHL 7837387552 945912
1983–84 New York Rangers NHL 7729538296 52460
1984–85 New York Rangers NHL 4814314529 30332
1985–86 New York Rangers NHL 5920204082 —————
1986–87 Minnesota North Stars NHL 12461010 —————
1986–87 Dundee Rockets BHL 10220 —————
1987–88 Bolzano HC ITA 3631447519 8913228
1988–89 Bolzano HC ITA 4423345742 —————
1991–92 San Jose Sharks NHL 20114 —————
NHL totals 355137192329340 237172414

International
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1980 United States OG 7 1 6 7 2
1981 United States WC 8 2 3 5 4
Senior totals 15 3 9 12 6

References
  1. Cohen, Russ; Halligan, John; Raider, Adam (2009). 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0470736194. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  2. "Kara Pavelich, wife of hockey great Mark Pavelich, dies in fall". www.twincities.com.
  3. "'Miracle on Ice' gold medal up for auction".
  4. "Mark Pavelich's 'Miracle on Ice' gold medal sells for $262,900".
  5. "'Miracle on Ice' gold medal sold for over $310K". ESPN.com. 6 November 2010.
  6. "Mark Pavelich, of 'Miracle on Ice' fame, charged with assaulting neighbor on North Shore". www.twincities.com.
  7. "'Miracle on Ice' player Mark Pavelich found unfit for assault trial". www.twincities.com.
  8. "Judge rules former 'Miracle on Ice' star Mark Pavelich mentally ill, dangerous". www.twincities.com.
  9. Walsh, Paul (August 22, 2019). "Attack on neighbor puts 'Miracle on Ice' skater Mark Pavelich in jail; family suspects CTE behind violence". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. Chris Koch biography at the Internet Movie Database https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1537836/
  11. "WCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  12. "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
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