Rapid City Rush goaltender Jason Pawloski announced via Instagram that he is retiring from hockey.
Junior Career
Jason Pawloski started his junior career in the 2012-13 season when he signed with the Austin Bruins in the NAHL. He played in 24 games, with a save percentage of .919 and a goals against average of 2.52. Pawloski also played in three playoff games for the Bruins, with a save percentage of .942 and a goals against average of 2.03.
Pawloski then spent the 2013-14 season in the USHL with the Indiana Ice. He played in 42 games for the ice for 2443 minutes on ice with a record of 25-8-4 with four shutouts. Pawloski faced 1042 shots, making 942 saves and allowing 100 goals for a save percentage of .904 and a goals-against average of 2.46. Pawloski played in 11 playoff games for the ice, where he had 633 minutes on ice, with a record of 8-3-0 and two shutouts. He faced 265 shots, making 246 saves and allowing 19 goals for a save percentage of .928 and a goals against average of 1.80. Pawloski’s team won the USHL Clark Cup, and Pawloski was named the Clark Cup MVP.
Pawloski finished his junior career in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. He played in 37 games for the Gamblers where he had 1984 minutes on ice with a record of 8-21-3 with one shutout. He faced 1116 shots making 1006 saves and allowing 110 goals for a goals against average of 3.33 and a save percentage of .901.
Collegiate Career
After completing his junior career, Pawloski went on to play Division I hockey at Minnesota State University-Mankato. In his three years at Mankato, Pawloski played in 45 games where he had 2468 minutes on ice with a record of 22-11-7 with five shutouts. He faced 938 shots making 851 saves and allowing 87 goals for a goals against average of 2.12 and a save percentage of .907.
In the 2017-18 season, Pawloski’s junior season and final collegiate season, Mankato was named the NCAA Regular Season Champions of the WCHA.
Professional Career
Jason Pawloski started his professional career in the 2018-19 season after spending three years at the collegiate level in Mankato. He spent time with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL, playing in five games where he had a record of 0-5-0 with 258 minutes on ice. He faced 125 shots, making 105 saves and allowing 20 goals for a goals-against average of 4.65 and a save percentage of .840. Pawloski also spent time in the SPHL with the Knoxville Ice Bears, playing in five games for a record of 2-3-0 with 296 minutes on ice. He faced 175 shots, making 161 saves and allowing 14 goals for a goals-against average of 2.83 and a save percentage of .920. He played for the Fayetteville Marksmen, playing in two games where he had a record of 1-1-0 with 100 minutes on ice. He faced 70 shots, making 62 saves, and allowed eight goals for a 4.80 goals against average and a save percentage of .886. He played in three playoff games with the Marksmen, where he had a record of 1-2-0, with 176 minutes on ice and one shutout. He faced 106 shots where he made 99 saves and allowed seven goals for a save percentage of .934 and a goals against average of 2.39.
Pawloski did not play in the 2019-20 season and then joined the Huntsville Havoc in the SPHL for the 2020-21 season. He played in 19 games where he had a record of 7-10-0 with one shutout and 1066 minutes on ice. He faced 551 shots where he had 494 saves and 57 goals against with a goals against average of 3.21 and a save percentage of .897.
In the 2021-22 season, Pawloski started with the Fayetteville Marksmen where he played in 22 games for 1288 minutes on ice with a record of 17-4-1 with two shutouts. He faced 608 shots where he had 562 saves and 46 goals against for a save percentage of .924 and a goals against average of 2.14. Pawloski was loaned to the Worcester Railers and Kalamazoo Wings in the ECHL. Pawloski played in eight games between the two teams, where he had a record of 2-4-0 with 410 minutes on ice. He faced 42 shots with the Railers, where he had 34 saves and eight goals against for a goals against average of 8.14 and a save percentage of .810. With Kalamazoo, Pawloski faced 170 shots making 151 saves and allowing 19 goals for a goals against average of 3.25 and a save percentage of .888.
Pawloski spent the 2022-23 season with the Fayetteville Marksmen, playing in 1422 minutes for a record of 11-12-1 with one shutout. He faced 837 shots where he had 737 saves and 70 goals against for a save percentage of .913 and a goals against average of 2.95 through 26 games.
Pawloski then spent what was his final season playing hockey with the Rapid City Rush where he played in 11 games and had a record of 2-3-0 with 418 minutes on ice. He faced 224 shots where he had 197 saves and 27 goals against for a goals against average of 3.87 and a save percentage of .879.
Pawloski did not get a lot of playing time with the Rush, but during his time in the net, he played some stellar hockey, making some incredible saves and helping keep the Rush in some games. Pawloski did not get a lot of starts, but in the games he did start, he played really well. With most of the games Pawloski played in being games where he came in relief, Pawloski played really well when the other goaltender(s) were having off nights. Pawloski made the best of his opportunity, with many of the games he played in being games that the Rush were already down by multiple goals when he came into the game.
