MADISON, Wis. — The 2018-19 NHL season started just over two weeks ago, but a few former Badgers are already making waves in the world's top hockey league.

San Jose captain and former Wisconsin forward Joe Pavelski made headlines last Sunday when he scored his 700th NHL point in the Sharks' 3-2 loss to New Jersey.

Pavelski is now just the third player in Sharks history to tally 700 points for the club, and the 28th American-born skater in the league to hit the 700 point mark. Additionally, the Plover, Wisconsin, native is one of only five other players in NHL history drafted 200th or later to reach the milestone.

Pavelski has spent the entirety of his NHL career with the Sharks organization. The forward joined San Jose for the 2006-07 season after being selected by the team in the 2003 NHL Draft.

Returning from an ankle injury suffered late last season, former Badgers rear guard and current Minnesota alternate captain Ryan Suter is set to skate in his 1,000th career game against Los Angeles on Oct. 25.

So far in the big league, Suter has tallied 496 career points in 994 games. Barring any injuries this season, the Madison, Wisconsin, native will become just the 50th NHL defenseman in history to reach both the 500-point and 1,000-game milestone.

Anaheim forward Ben Street scored his first NHL goal in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Coyotes last week. After playing 35 games with three different clubs, Street seems to have found his stride with the Ducks, tallying two goals and four points in seven games so far.

Elsewhere in the NHL, Tampa Bay defender Ryan McDonagh has one assist in five games and Toronto's Jake Gardiner has five assists through seven contests. Arizona center Derek Stepan, who ranked second in scoring for the Coyotes last season, is still on the hunt for his first point of the 2018-19 campaign.

Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz was ruled out for four months with a fractured leg, and Wild forward Luke Kunin, looking to return to the roster after rehabbing a torn ACL, is back on the ice training in the AHL.
 

Team	Player	Position	Season Stats
Anaheim	Ben Street	F	7 GP; 2 G, 4 P
Arizona	Derek Stepan	F	6 GP
Buffalo	Jake McCabe	D	7 GP; 1 G, 2 P
Minnesota	Ryan Suter	D	6 GP; 1 G, 5 P
Nashville	Craig Smith	F	6 GP; 2 G, 3 P
Nashville	Kyle Turris	F	6 GP; 1 G, 4 P
New York Rangers	Brendan Smith	D	7 GP; 1 G, 2 P
Philadelphia	Brian Elliott	G	5 GP; 4.04 GAA, .874 SV%
Pittsburgh	Justin Schultz	D	4 GP; 4 A, 4 P
San Jose	Joe Pavelski	F	7 GP; 4 G, 4 P
Tampa Bay	Ryan McDonagh	D	5 GP; 2 A, 2 P
Toronto	Jake Gardiner	D	8 GP; 5 A, 5 P