Player Discussion Neal Pionk

[Mike in Houston]

Very happy with Pionk.

 

[NYR Viper]

This kid reminds me of Ryan Ellis A LOT

 

[offdacrossbar]

pionk looks like he's got enough game to play a regular 3rd pair role and bring some O to the blue line. i like his poise and his smarts.

hes in the mix for next year for sure.

 

[Thirty One]

Never understood hf boards obsession with summoning it’s worst posters back to a discussion.

@Bardof425 What's your thoughts on this trend?

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

Adam Clendening is awesome.

With all due respect, awesome at what? How many teams has he been on in his short NHL career? Where is Clendening even playing right now? In the AHL with fellow HFNYR darling Cody Franson. I like the Ryan Ellis comparison sans the beard.

 

[kovazub94]

The second coming of Adam Clendening

Is that an upgrade from Stionk?

 

[Edge]

Never understood hf boards obsession with summoning it’s worst posters back to a discussion.

Mouth should be left alone talking to his wife and gram gram through his radio show about how Nick Fotiu was the greatest all around hockey player he’s ever seen.

Not speaking specifically about any one poster, but I will admit to fantasizing about the boards having a semi-annual culling of posters where we vote some people off the island, "Survivor" style.

 

[Edge]

Pionk's ppg at the NHL level is .52.

In the AHL, it is .35.

I'm pointing this out to serve as a gentle reminder of why you can't always go to HockeyDB. com, look at the stat sheet, and use that to determine how you "rate" a player.

I also say that because there are a lot of people who are good at finding "data" on the internet and stringing just enough of it together where they almost sound like they know what they're talking about. I think you'd be surprised to learn how many of the people with the loudest voices on here haven't watched more than 10 minutes of play from the prospects they are commenting on.

That's not being mean, and I'm not calling anyone out by name, but it's the reality of the situation.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Have been beating the drum for this kid since pre-season. LOVE his game.

I can see folks (@offdacrossbar and others) saying he's looking like a solid 3rd pair RHD, but here's thing: he already IS that player – and he's not yet done with his first pro season. If he keeps trending up, you've got a kid who could develop into a top 4, PPQB type.

Furthermore, I know people don't want to hear this, but this is also why you double up on prospects. I personally have always thought ADA was overrated, and that people have a soft spot for him because of the 2x per game razzle-dazzle in the offensive zone and (regardless of politics) his feistiness, which causes them to overlook his deficiencies in the other two zones and the careless risks he takes.

Now, maybe I'll be wrong and we'll have two players who fit the profile I've described, above – in which case hey, great! But my personal opinion is that he'll wind up a Marc-André Bergeron. Meanwhile, as @Ola points out, Pionk just "gets it" and I think will stick as our own version of Torey Krug. But it's only by signing them both that you can luck into the latter and let the former go on to his journeyman career around the league. It's why I have no problem with acquiring all of Lindgren, Hájek, and Rykov in the deals this past TDL, despite already having Skjei and Gilmour in the organization.

 

[The Mouth]

Never understood hf boards obsession with summoning it’s worst posters back to a discussion.

Mouth should be left alone talking to his wife and gram gram through his radio show about how Nick Fotiu was the greatest all around hockey player he’s ever seen.

3/4 of million listens on my Pod all time. 375,ooo on my YT. Ryan Ellis seriously ? 17 Games evals for Stionk are in I guess. He will go down as one of the great finds of the 2017-18 season in which the Ranger didn't make the playoffs and gave up 40 shots nightly. I enjoy the back and forth though it just reinforces the fact some of you have no place under the critical thinking hangar. Some of you are great here at HF the others who are thin skinned pedestrian fans who just cant accept an opposing viewpoint or a quip on a players name. Some of you vastly overate Stionk and get annoyed that I call him Stionk. How juvenile.

 

[Larrybiv]

Pionk's ppg at the NHL level is .52.

In the AHL, it is .35.

I'm pointing this out to serve as a gentle reminder of why you can't always go to HockeyDB. com, look at the stat sheet, and use that to determine how you "rate" a player.

I also say that because there are a lot of people who are good at finding "data" on the internet and stringing just enough of it together where they almost sound like they know what they're talking about. I think you'd be surprised to learn how many of the people with the loudest voices on here haven't watched more than 10 minutes of play from the prospects they are commenting on.

That's not being mean, and I'm not calling anyone out by name, but it's the reality of the situation.

Agreed, and I think there's also a chance that he might achieve better numbers in the NHL playing with players that can put the puck in the net.......it just stands to reason. As far as I know, Hartford wasn't exactly one of the more talented teams. Aren't I right? I think a defenseman's numbers are swayed one way or the other based on how good their forward group is. Dman can "rack up" many assists if his team is a "quick strike" kind of team. Of course, that is just my take, I may be wrong.

Edit. Just to add that he seems a very heady player, pretty good at getting it up the ice one way or the other. Wishing for the best here. I like him.

 

[eco's bones]

Have been beating the drum for this kid since pre-season. LOVE his game.

I can see folks (@offdacrossbar and others) saying he's looking like a solid 3rd pair RHD, but here's thing: he already IS that player – and he's not yet done with his first pro season. If he keeps trending up, you've got a kid who could develop into a top 4, PPQB type.

Furthermore, I know people don't want to hear this, but this is also why you double up on prospects. I personally have always thought ADA was overrated, and that people have a soft spot for him because of the 2x per game razzle-dazzle in the offensive zone and (regardless of politics) his feistiness, which causes them to overlook his deficiencies in the other two zones and the careless risks he takes.

Now, maybe I'll be wrong and we'll have two players who fit the profile I've described, above – in which case hey, great! But my personal opinion is that he'll wind up a Marc-André Bergeron. Meanwhile, as @Ola points out, Pionk just "gets it" and I think will stick as our own version of Torey Krug. But it's only by signing them both that you can luck into the latter and let the former go on to his journeyman career around the league. It's why I have no problem with acquiring all of Lindgren, Hájek, and Rykov in the deals this past TDL, despite already having Skjei and Gilmour in the organization.

Excellent post.

 

[Edge]

Agreed, and I think there's also a chance that he might achieve better numbers in the NHL playing with players that can put the puck in the net.......it just stands to reason. As far as I know, Hartford wasn't exactly one of the more talented teams. Aren't I right? I think a defenseman's numbers are swayed one way or the other based on how good their forward group is. Dman can "rack up" many assists if his team is a "quick strike" kind of team. Of course, that is just my take, I may be wrong.

Edit. Just to add that he seems a very heady player, pretty good at getting it up the ice one way or the other. Wishing for the best here. I like him.

I think we have to accept the fact that Hartford is very much a developmental destination for our prospects. Generally speaking, they get a legitimate opportunity to sink or swim. And usually, if they can swim, they aren't down there for too terribly long. So that tends to leave a lot of guys who can't swim, or are still learning to swim.

I caution about reading too much into certain numbers down there - whether it was Talbot back in the day, Georgiev now, Miller/Kreider back in the day or Andersson/Chytil now.

That goes for defensemen as well - be it Pionk, ADA, or whoever is playing next season. Whether they make it is not going to be inherently obvious just by looking at a box score or season stats.

Keeping that in mind is going to be especially important next season when we could have even more kids coming into the organization.

 

[Thirty One]

3/4 of million listens on my Pod all time. 375,ooo on my YT. Ryan Ellis seriously ? 17 Games evals for Stionk are in I guess. He will go down as one of the great finds of the 2017-18 season in which the Ranger didn't make the playoffs and gave up 40 shots nightly. I enjoy the back and forth though it just reinforces the fact some of you have no place under the critical thinking hangar. Some of you are great here at HF the others who are thin skinned pedestrian fans who just cant accept an opposing viewpoint or a quip on a players name. Some of you vastly overate Stionk and get annoyed that I call him Stionk. How juvenile.

There's a lot to unpack here, but I don't think that posting "Neal Stionk" falls under the realm of critical thinking.

 

[Alluckks]

3/4 of million listens on my Pod all time. 375,ooo on my YT. Ryan Ellis seriously ? 17 Games evals for Stionk are in I guess. He will go down as one of the great finds of the 2017-18 season in which the Ranger didn't make the playoffs and gave up 40 shots nightly. I enjoy the back and forth though it just reinforces the fact some of you have no place under the critical thinking hangar. Some of you are great here at HF the others who are thin skinned pedestrian fans who just cant accept an opposing viewpoint or a quip on a players name. Some of you vastly overate Stionk and get annoyed that I call him Stionk. How juvenile.

Y'all can't take other views
This guy sucks and I will not be changed

Y'all are juvenile
Stionk

Observer's Note 73: The subject is not yet self aware

 

[JohnC]

@Bardof425 What's your thoughts on this trend?

*cringe* Don’t scare me like that.

 

[JohnC]

3/4 of million listens on my Pod all time. 375,ooo on my YT.

I’m sorry to hear there are that many idiots in this world.

We may be juvenile but you’re a bad hockey poster and your radio show still sucks

 

[nyr2k2]

3/4 of million listens on my Pod all time. 375,ooo on my YT. Ryan Ellis seriously ? 17 Games evals for Stionk are in I guess. He will go down as one of the great finds of the 2017-18 season in which the Ranger didn't make the playoffs and gave up 40 shots nightly. I enjoy the back and forth though it just reinforces the fact some of you have no place under the critical thinking hangar. Some of you are great here at HF the others who are thin skinned pedestrian fans who just cant accept an opposing viewpoint or a quip on a players name. Some of you vastly overate Stionk and get annoyed that I call him Stionk. How juvenile.

This is why I called you a student of Skip Bayless. This is right out of Bayless (and Smith, Cowherd etc.) and ESPN's book of "Embrace the Debate." Come in with hot takes that make people angry (because they're ridiculous), agitate the viewers and listeners, insult them, remind people how you're the guy on the airwaves and not them, and wait for the rubes to tune in the next day. Then profit! Problem is, those guys, while obnoxious, are also charismatic and engaging. Your stuff is garbage, IMO, coming from someone who has actually called in in the past. But, 20 million people in the Metro area, millions of expatriated New Yorkers/Rangers fans across the globe, you only need to find one one-hundredth of one percent to develop a potential massive listening audience. And while I love NY, we do have plenty of clowns who gobble up your specific brand of hot trash. Congrats to you, Freddy Fleek, you are a true entrepreneur and entertainer. Unfortunately you likely won't find many more potential listeners here, as while HF has its warts, people generally aren't...I don't know, dumb.

 

[GAGLine]

17 Games evals for Stionk are in I guess.

17 games isn't enough to anoint him, but it's enough to condemn him, apparently.

 

[ThirdEye]

I don't know how you can be anything but happy with Pionk so far. If you were expecting some kind of elite player out of him at 22 years old with little indication that he was ever that, then that is on you. As someone who was signed to potentially be a top 4D or very good bottom 2 D he has exceeded all expectations.

 

[nyr2k2]

17 games isn't enough to anoint him, but it's enough to condemn him, apparently.

I'm telling you, it's just a sales pitch. "Look at me! I say obnoxious stuff! I make stupid puns! Listen to my program to hear more inane drivel!"

Beyond that, though, you're absolutely right--17 games is somehow enough to decide a guy sucks and always will suck but not enough to have a positive view of him. BECAUSE MCILBUST!

 

[eco's bones]

Pionk's been good all in all. I think Ola did a good job of explaining that earlier. It's been a sink or swim situation and he hasn't gone under--he's paddling around--mostly making good reads and good plays. He's also been getting tough matchups as the Rangers are playing him a lot. He is undersized. OTOH he's shown a lot of compete. IMO--he's a player--something I'm still making my mind up on Gilmour and DeAngelo. I'd say even O'Gara--though I don't care for his game has given a good effort.

 

[Miamipuck]

3/4 of a million listens, I call complete and utter bullshit on that. There's no way he has 3/4 of a million family members to listen to that garbage.

 

[Kovalev27]

pionk looks like he's got enough game to play a regular 3rd pair role and bring some O to the blue line. i like his poise and his smarts.

hes in the mix for next year for sure.

Yeah I think that’s his best bet probably shouldn’t be playing higher than that on a good team but that’s a good spot for him

 

[Levitate]

Y'all can't take other views
This guy sucks and I will not be changed

Y'all are juvenile
Stionk

Observer's Note 73: The subject is not yet self aware

lmao

I have to say I don't have the time to watch every game now or watch games with a razor sharp focus on a particular player, but what I'd really LOVE is for when people have criticisms about a player, that they actually expand on what those criticisms are with real analysis.

From what I see of Pionk, he's a smart player who moves the puck well, skates well, and is pretty good in both offensive and defensive zones in terms of positioning, anticipation, and "compete level". Downsides are mainly that he's pretty small and you won't be mistaking him for a guy who can grind it out on the boards or maul someone in front of the net. That said, his smarts let him take some good positioning to win battles along the boards, etc.

His overall skillset probably isn't good enough to make him a real star player or anything but a good 2nd pair guy is reasonable if he keeps improving.

So...for people who don't like him, what are his deficiencies? If it's "he can't defend", can you give me some analysis of why you feel this way? To be fair I'm not much moved by raw shot numbers right now because of the system this team still insists on playing.