Value of: Neal Pionk

[bfaust30]

I think DeAngelo has finally found his groove and has an insane amount of offensive hockey iq. He will mold into a top-4 guy leaving Pionk the odd man out as they are practically the same type of player. Pionk not as good defensively, but can qb a PP just as well. He is a fringe top 4 but more of a top 6 dman.

What is he worth? I could see him being a dark horse trade at the TDL or draft day.

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[Taytro]

You probably watch more of the Rangers than I do but I was under the impression that Pionk was seen as being significantly better than a #5/6 dman, no?

 

[bfaust30]

He is paired with Staal a lot playing top minutes, but his lack of defensive ability lowers his potential. He could easily be a top 4 if he improved his defense. But Deangelo fills that void already and with Nils Lundqvist in the system and Joey Keane. I dont see Pionk as a fit anymore

 

[780il]

Something around Puljujarvi?

 

[bfaust30]

Something around Puljujarvi?

Yes

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Something around Puljujarvi?

That works.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Noticed he was scratched a couple of times not too long ago. Did he find/lose his groove?

 

[Justin17]

Noticed he was scratched a couple of times not too long ago. Did he find/lose his groove?

He got injured

 

[frisland]

Rangers have been carrying 8 D all season (everyone but staal has been scratched at some point), plus he got high-sticked in the head last week

 

[bfaust30]

He was hurt, and now crosby almost took out his whole eye, but should be fine.

 

[Hammettf2b]

He got injured

He got scratched after the injury, did he just not recover?

 

[Son of Petter]

Started the year on an insane year then cooled down after an injury. Great rushing the puck and on the pp, could definitely have value for some teams.

 

[Justin17]

He got scratched after the injury, did he just not recover?

He got hurt a little while ago and missed a few games. He might’ve got scratched once while healthy a little after. He missed last nights game because he got hit in the eye from a high stick.

 

[Calad]

He got scratched after the injury, did he just not recover?

He got 1 stitch around his eye, there was no damage to the eye. Rangers just held him out for precautionary measures (read; trade incoming?), they've been playing 7 D for the past week or two.

Pionk for Puljujaarvi sounds like a great deal for both teams.

 

[Hammettf2b]

He got 1 stitch around his eye, there was no damage to the eye. Rangers just held him out for precautionary measures (read; trade incoming?), they've been playing 7 D for the past week or two.

Pionk for Puljujaarvi sounds like a great deal for both teams.

I was referring to his healthy scratch prior to this

 

[Calad]

I was referring to his healthy scratch prior to this

Quinn has scratched almost everyone in our lineup at some point. Part of the whole accountability culture they're trying to instill with the young group we have.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Quinn has scratched almost everyone in our lineup at some point. Part of the whole accountability culture they're trying to instill with the young group we have.

Gotcha

 

[eco's bones]

The Rangers have used Pionk a lot on the PK this year and that's a struggle for him. Conversely they haven't used DeAngelo hardly at all on the PK. They both have defensive issues. Pionk's kind of fallen off a cliff the last month or so--his confidence is kind of shit right now. Potentially Pionk turns into something like a Torey Krug in time and it took time and ups and downs for Krug to develop to what he is today. With patience Pionk could get to a similar place as Krug--a lot of Rangers fans though--even those vociferously for a rebuild despite all that don't IMO seem to have a whole lot of patience. While Pionk has been down DeAngelo has upped his game quite a lot recently and is playing very very well--he still doesn't see much pk time but his defensive game otherwise has gotten much better. He is playing with confidence.

Would I move Pionk? Yeah if the return was right. I'd move DeAngelo too but he might cost a little more.

 

[bl02]

He's become public enemy number one for the most part on the HF board. Previously it was Vesey (still is on some nights) and before that believe it or not before that Hayes got a lot of flak. All guys that chose and signed with the Rangers costing them zero assets. Kinda Ironic but it is what it is.
For the most part Pionk has deserved it this year. He's had a tough go albeit coaches seeming to love him. Vesey we know what he is but the guy is gonna score 18-20 goals and Hayes has beautifully progressed like probably no other Ranger.

 

[eco's bones]

He's become public enemy number one for the most part on the HF board. Previously it was Vesey (still is on some nights) and before that believe it or not before that Hayes got a lot of flak. All guys that chose and signed with the Rangers costing them zero assets. Kinda Ironic but it is what it is.
For the most part Pionk has deserved it this year. He's had a tough go albeit coaches seeming to love him. Vesey we know what he is but the guy is gonna score 18-20 goals and Hayes has beautifully progressed like probably no other Ranger.

We see ups and downs with lots of players and particularly to those that are younger and first and second and third year pros. One of the issues with the Rangers is when a team is kind of weak...players often get thrown into situations they're not ready for. IMO--Pionk is ready for the NHL--he's just not at a stage where he should be a top 4 NHL D (let alone a top pairing D) and he's gotten more minutes than any of our other D this year. DeAngelo got harder love than Pionk--scratched numerous times but it's helping him now because he wasn't put into situations he couldn't handle and as the season has progressed along he's started to really blossom. Truthfully though there is no one on the Rangers D that is a top pairing NHL defenseman and it's not just Pionk who has suffered for it but Skjei and to a lesser extend Shattenkirk as well. So the coaching staff has to make choices to play players in situations they're not ready for.

 

[Reddwit]

I think DeAngelo has finally found his groove and has an insane amount of offensive hockey iq. He will mold into a top-4 guy leaving Pionk the odd man out as they are practically the same type of player. Pionk not as good defensively, but can qb a PP just as well. He is a fringe top 4 but more of a top 6 dman.

What is he worth? I could see him being a dark horse trade at the TDL or draft day.

The encouraging development of a young RHD over half a season makes another young RHD with 78 games under his belt expendable? I see this thinking all the time on HF with emerging young players and veterans, but with two still-developing players on a rebuilding/re-tooling roster, it makes even less sense. I can understand testing the waters on a guy's value to see if you could land an overpayment but not with this justification in mind.

Anyway, I could see Toronto having a lot of interest in a young cost-controllable RHD. Doubt they'd be interested this year but maybe come the off-season...

 

[The S5]

Pionk catches a lot of flack from some Ranger fans but he is still a developing player who was put into a top pairing situation that he wasn't ready to handle.
If I'm the Rangers, there is no way I bail on the kid. He needs to get stronger and slot into a role of 2nd pairing/pp specialist. He has a ton of potential.

 

[eco's bones]

The encouraging development of a young RHD over half a season makes another young RHD with 78 games under his belt expendable? I see this thinking all the time on HF with emerging young players and veterans, but with two still-developing players on a rebuilding/re-tooling roster, it makes even less sense. I can understand testing the waters on a guy's value to see if you could land an overpayment but not with this justification in mind.

Anyway, I could see Toronto having a lot of interest in a young cost-controllable RHD. Doubt they'd be interested this year but maybe come the off-season...

If I were to guess a value on Pionk it would be a mid-2nd though good luck getting that from anyone at the trade deadline where it's buyers selling futures for developed players and not the other way around. Neither Pionk or DeAngelo are fully developed players. I don't think teams will be looking at either unless they're throw ins to even out a deal. The way the threadstarter talks about Pionk we'd be lucky to get a 5th. It's almost as if he wants to give him away. I don't see Pionk ever becoming a for real top pairing NHL defenseman but I think given time he has a realistic chance of becoming a pretty decent top 4. FWIW DeAngelo ever becoming a legit top pairing D is a reach as well.

 

[ConnorMcNugesaitl]

Something around Puljujarvi?

Easy no for Edmonton.

Oilers aren't a win now team why are they trading a struggling winger with high upside for an older Ethan Bear?

 

[Rempe73]

You probably watch more of the Rangers than I do but I was under the impression that Pionk was seen as being significantly better than a #5/6 dman, no?

Most fans don’t see him as a true top 4 defenseman right now. Some think he will never become one. Some think he can develop into a solid one in a year or two. I’m one of those.

Anyways, the Rangers don’t have any top pairing defensemen, and for some reason, they went with Pionk to play 1st pairing minutes against other teams’ top lines. With Staal as his partner. His advanced metrics were pretty awful, but for an undrafted rookie thrown to the wolves, you can kind of give him a pass.

The guy is good offensively, but not good enough to mitigate his poor defensive play. He’s very smart and is a great skater, but needs to be coached to stop banking the puck off the boards and giving possession back to the other team. That’s his problem. His metrics have improved recently (fluctuated up and down, but it’s still an improvement), but it’s just so frustrating. I see a talented player there, but he either isn’t listening, or he’s not being coached right. I think at worst, he’s a solid bottom pairing defenseman. But with DeAngelo’s breakout season (also a RH offensive d), it won’t be as concerning if Pionk doesn’t develop.