Dallas Stars’ Joe Pavelski hints at retirement

Dallas Stars’ Joe Pavelski says he’s done.

After more than 1,500 games and 18 NHL seasons, he told reporters he has likely played his last game.

"This was it for me like it was known for a while probably. My plan is not to play next year," Pavelski said. "I don’t want to say this is official, but the plan is not to be coming back and there’ll be more to come on that."

The Stars lost in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final days ago.

Pavelski said he’s gone through a lot of different emotions since then and "it’s never easy."

He plans to return home in the off-season to decompress and work out the logistics of his future.

The right wing has been with the team for five seasons and is at the end of his contract.

He turns 40 next month.