Confirmed Signing with Link: [WPG] Neal Pionk signed (4 years, $5.875M AAV)

[jay from jersey]

Trouba is a player Jets fans will never get over. He was drafted as our franchise 1RHD, but wouldn't extend despite the team being good. Since then, you get this pathetic jilted lover talk whenever Pionk or Trouba come up. Jets fans act like they've never been happier, but the heartbreak and insecurity is obvious in every post.

I feel slightly more objective. I would have liked to see Trouba stay a Jet and would have happily paid $8M if it was possible. But it wasn't and we've moved on. I'm happy with where we are now and don't feel the need to obsess about Trouba or the trade anymore.

I’m happy it worked out for both teams. As good as pionk is, he’s was redundant in NY. Fox doesn’t everything he does but better. That’s not a slight at pionk, fox just won the Norris for god sakes. But we had Fox ADA, lundkvist who are all smaller and can bring it on offense. NYR desperately needed trouba’s size and ability to be mobile and play solid in transition. We all knew he wouldn’t be a 50 pt D here, getting no PP time virtually. Trouba has been instrumental to Miller’s development and eats big minutes on the right. He also emerged as somewhat of a leader. This was a trade NY had to make.
As it sits right now the Rangers right side looks incredibly solid now and in the future
Fox
Trouba
Lundkvist
Schneider
Skinner
( Jones can play both sides as well. Another player with similar size/skillset to Pionk)
There’s not a whole lot of opportunity for Pionk with the right side that looks like that. He would have never excelled or even gotten that deal here. Trouba gives them the size and hitting and minute eating they needed, and it diversified the look of the overall D. As a ranger fan, I still make this trade 10 out of 10 times.
I hope Pionk continues to have success with the jets, going undrafted and signing and coming on like he has was great and no small feat. But the rangers need what trouba brings a lot more right now, then the difference in points compared to Pionk. Especially since the rangers are turning the corner of being a solid playoff team for many years to come. The rebuild is pretty much done with the incredible luck of getting LaF and Kakko after years of terrible luck. Some of our guys just need to mature a bit but Zibanejad, kreider, Panarin, and Trouba are certainly still impact players at their age for the next 3-5 years. Future looks bright in NY and Trouba has/is been a huge part of it.
Good luck the rest of the way, except against us. Lol

 

[Paulinbc]

Rangers fans complain about everything.

Pionk is very good and this contract is fair at worst and a bargain at best. The contract looks even better when you see what the rest of the D are getting this summer.

Have you met canucks fans by any chance?

 

[Whileee]

I’m happy it worked out for both teams. As good as pionk is, he’s was redundant in NY. Fox doesn’t everything he does but better. That’s not a slight at pionk, fox just won the Norris for god sakes. But we had Fox ADA, lundkvist who are all smaller and can bring it on offense. NYR desperately needed trouba’s size and ability to be mobile and play solid in transition. We all knew he wouldn’t be a 50 pt D here, getting no PP time virtually. Trouba has been instrumental to Miller’s development and eats big minutes on the right. He also emerged as somewhat of a leader. This was a trade NY had to make.
As it sits right now the Rangers right side looks incredibly solid now and in the future
Fox
Trouba
Lundkvist
Schneider
Skinner
( Jones can play both sides as well. Another player with similar size/skillset to Pionk)
There’s not a whole lot of opportunity for Pionk with the right side that looks like that. He would have never excelled or even gotten that deal here. Trouba gives them the size and hitting and minute eating they needed, and it diversified the look of the overall D. As a ranger fan, I still make this trade 10 out of 10 times.
I hope Pionk continues to have success with the jets, going undrafted and signing and coming on like he has was great and no small feat. But the rangers need what trouba brings a lot more right now, then the difference in points compared to Pionk. Especially since the rangers are turning the corner of being a solid playoff team for many years to come. The rebuild is pretty much done with the incredible luck of getting LaF and Kakko after years of terrible luck. Some of our guys just need to mature a bit but Zibanejad, kreider, Panarin, and Trouba are certainly still impact players at their age for the next 3-5 years. Future looks bright in NY and Trouba has/is been a huge part of it.
Good luck the rest of the way, except against us. Lol

Trouba is signed for 5 more seasons at 8M. Will Lundqvist and Schneider be stuck at 3rd pair or in the press box for a few more seasons?

 

[jay from jersey]

Trouba is signed for 5 more seasons at 8M. Will Lundqvist and Schneider be stuck at 3rd pair or in the press box for a few more seasons?

His NMC turns into a mNTC in 3. So he could be traded. He’ll only be 32 at the end of his current deal, hardly over the hill. And big mobile RD that can move the puck and play physical are always in demand.
Exhibit A - Nurse, Hamilton, Jones and on and on.......
NYR could also use Lundkvist as a huge trade chip. Fox and Jones will still be in the system and Lundkvist could be part of a package for an excellent young C, or shift to the left side and rangers can trade 1 of Jones/Miller/Robertson/Lindgren.
Each year that passes, that Trouba deal isn’t going to look bad at all. Look at some of these deals being handed out now, even with the ramifications of covid financially.
This season Lundkvist will start RD on 3rd pair most likely and Schneider and Robertson will get heavy first pair minutes in the AHL.
Next season and the following are where things become more of a traffic jam on the blue line.
Rangers have done great drafting D lately, the only part that sucks is, they are all kind of coming on at the same time period within 1-2 maybe they could stretch to 3 years of each other.
I know rangers Fwds/ prospects and young players get the press but the rangers true power going Fwd is their blue line with shesty in net.
Miller, Schneider, and Robertson are all 6’3 and above with a lot of physical gifts, Fox is Fox, Lundkvist has an absolute laser beam for a shot and is currently neck and neck with Seider for top D prospect outside NHL currently, Jones is coming strong etc... Trouba and Lindgren are the old men at 27 and 24 years of age. Future is bright on the backend for sure. We’re not going to have enough spots for all these kids as it is.. so trades will def happen.

 

[North Cole]

Instead of taking 2 of my post, both unrelated to each other, and piece them together with your confused head scratch, maybe go back and read both under the context they were made.

The poster stated that Pionk's contract was a huge overpayment because he sucked in the Montreal series, which was a 4 game sweep.

When I replied that a GM would be an idiot to base his judgment for a long term contract off of 4 games, when he played over a 140 with us through 2 seasons, another poster replied that they would take Nurse over Pionk in a best of 7 and were willing to overpay for Nurses' services because he brings grit over Pionk.

That is when I replied with the FACT that Pionk and Nurse just went head to head in the playoffs, and Pionk outplayed him and out gritted him.

Still confused??

Agreed, a GM would be dumb to do that. On the other side, a person would also be dumb to take a specific player based on a series rather than the big sample size they just cited. If you think that Pionk > Nurse over the last 140 games then that's why you take him in the playoffs, the data you cite doesn't change because of context - the player and the contract are a combined entity so the posts are not unrelated to each other. It's like saying that the regular season and playoffs are unrelated to each other, so a smart GM would tie up the TBL core that had a historic season but I'll use them getting swept by CLB as proof of something in different context.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

Agreed, a GM would be dumb to do that. On the other side, a person would also be dumb to take a specific player based on a series rather than the big sample size they just cited. If you think that Pionk > Nurse over the last 140 games then that's why you take him in the playoffs, the data you cite doesn't change because of context - the player and the contract are a combined entity so the posts are not unrelated to each other. It's like saying that the regular season and playoffs are unrelated to each other, so a smart GM would tie up the TBL core that had a historic season but I'll use them getting swept by CLB as proof of something in different context.

Sure, and if you go on the past 2 seasons, for Nurse and Pionk, 125 games for Pionk, 127 for Nurse, Pionk has been the better performer with slightly better numbers than Nurse.

When you assess the contracts each just signed, based off the past 2 seasons, its not even close which team is getting the better deal. Pionk at $3.5 mill less per season, producing similar stats to Nurse wins easily

 

[North Cole]

Sure, and if you go on the past 2 seasons, for Nurse and Pionk, 125 games for Pionk, 127 for Nurse, Pionk has been the better performer with slightly better numbers than Nurse.

When you assess the contracts each just signed, based off the past 2 seasons, its not even close which team is getting the better deal. Pionk at $3.5 mill less per season, producing similar stats to Nurse wins easily

And I don't disagree, the contract for Pionk is significantly better and I would like to have had Nurse around 8M max

 

[snowkiddin]

Trouba is a player Jets fans will never get over. He was drafted as our franchise 1RHD, but wouldn't extend despite the team being good. Since then, you get this pathetic jilted lover talk whenever Pionk or Trouba come up. Jets fans act like they've never been happier, but the heartbreak and insecurity is obvious in every post.

I feel slightly more objective. I would have liked to see Trouba stay a Jet and would have happily paid $8M if it was possible. But it wasn't and we've moved on. I'm happy with where we are now and don't feel the need to obsess about Trouba or the trade anymore.

Given where the Jets are with the cap right now I’d much rather have Pionk at $6.5 than Trouba at $8, not sure if that makes me insecure though.

 

[Flair Hay]

Trouba is a player Jets fans will never get over. He was drafted as our franchise 1RHD, but wouldn't extend despite the team being good. Since then, you get this pathetic jilted lover talk whenever Pionk or Trouba come up. Jets fans act like they've never been happier, but the heartbreak and insecurity is obvious in every post.

I feel slightly more objective. I would have liked to see Trouba stay a Jet and would have happily paid $8M if it was possible. But it wasn't and we've moved on. I'm happy with where we are now and don't feel the need to obsess about Trouba or the trade anymore.

Minus the psychological stuff, I do agree. I'd still love to have Trouba here on that contract. Love Pionk now, but still love Trouba and how he fit here. Shame we cant have both haha

Things worked out good for us in the end.

 

[jay from jersey]

Given where the Jets are with the cap right now I’d much rather have Pionk at $6.5 than Trouba at $8, not sure if that makes me insecure though.

Pretty hard to compare. Trouba’s deal was signed pre-Covid. I think we paid about 1.5 mill extra per season because NYR bought significant UFA years in the Trouba deal.
Pionks was signed post covid, where they now know about the flat cap for at least 3 seasons, etc. I wonder what Pionks deal would look like if they were in the same situation.
Any way you slice it, it seems like he’s an important piece to your blue line so that makes me believe it’s a solid value deal.
When signing smallish/skilled D, it’s always a crapshoot. There are more of them then the big guys, so I’m sure there’s some added value on Trouba’s end there. The smaller guys are always going to face that Girard question. They look great and put up great numbers in the Reg season, but they get overpowered come playoff time when the game gets faster, tighter, and more physical.
Bigger guys also seem to be able to take more abuse to their body and respond better. You can’t just be big though, you need to be talented as well, that’s way Trouba’s value was very important to us. At the time of the trade. Whoever’s on the NYR D needs to be solid at moving the puck in transition.
The diversity that Trouba has brought to the right side, coupled with mentoring KAndre Miller are very very important. He was much better here last season as opposed to his first year, when he was running around trying to do too much. Martin also implemented a solid defensive scheme that helped the team as a whole overall as well.

 

[snowkiddin]

Pretty hard to compare. Trouba’s deal was signed pre-Covid. I think we paid about 1.5 mill extra per season because NYR bought significant UFA years in the Trouba deal.
Pionks was signed post covid, where they now know about the flat cap for at least 3 seasons, etc. I wonder what Pionks deal would look like if they were in the same situation.
Any way you slice it, it seems like he’s an important piece to your blue line so that makes me believe it’s a solid value deal.
When signing smallish/skilled D, it’s always a crapshoot. There are more of them then the big guys, so I’m sure there’s some added value on Trouba’s end there. The smaller guys are always going to face that Girard question. They look great and put up great numbers in the Reg season, but do they get overpowered come playoff time when the game gets faster, tighter, and more physical.

I think it worked out pretty well from the Jets perspective. Trouba's contract was on overpay even before COVID, but it's starting to look better when you see what guys like Nurse and Jones are getting. It's certainly not a boat anchor, and it'll continue to look better as more GMs overpay D and when the cap eventually rises.

Trouba was great here and his chemistry with Morrissey formed a great top pairing. I would've loved to have kept Trouba here. $8 million is steep, but basically every other core piece here is on a discount, so a slight overpay for a top pairing RHD would be easy to stomach, especially with how much better Morrissey would be.

Trouba held all the cards, and the Jets would've lost him for nothing in free agency if they didn't trade him. People were dunking on Chevy and the Jets when they saw the return as Pionk and a 1st for Trouba, so it's been nice to see Pionk doing so great. He was our top defenceman last year, and looking at how he objectively played for us, I don't think it's "insecurity" or "heartbreak" like some may think - I'm just pleased with how this worked out for Winnipeg considering Chevy should've gotten destroyed in the trade, but instead made off quite well. Quite well, indeed.

Also, just because it worked out well for Winnipeg doesn't mean it couldn't have worked out well for the Rangers too. Ranger fans seem to be happy/content with the trade, so I'm not in the position to argue with them. They know the team more than I. It looks like it worked out great for both teams.

Rangers only had to give up a redundant player for Trouba, and Pionk has been able to flourish for the Jets.

 

[Metroid]

totally un-related to the signing, but I wish the O and I in his last name was reversed....
Poink is a way better last name than Pionk

 

[jay from jersey]

I think it worked out pretty well from the Jets perspective. Trouba's contract was on overpay even before COVID, but it's starting to look better when you see what guys like Nurse and Jones are getting. It's certainly not a boat anchor, and it'll continue to look better as more GMs overpay D and when the cap eventually rises.

Trouba was great here and his chemistry with Morrissey formed a great top pairing. I would've loved to have kept Trouba here. $8 million is steep, but basically every other core piece here is on a discount, so a slight overpay for a top pairing RHD would be easy to stomach, especially with how much better Morrissey would be.

Trouba held all the cards, and the Jets would've lost him for nothing in free agency if they didn't trade him. People were dunking on Chevy and the Jets when they saw the return as Pionk and a 1st for Trouba, so it's been nice to see Pionk doing so great. He was our top defenceman last year, and looking at how he objectively played for us, I don't think it's "insecurity" or "heartbreak" like some may think - I'm just pleased with how this worked out for Winnipeg considering Chevy should've gotten destroyed in the trade, but instead made off quite well. Quite well, indeed.

Also, just because it worked out well for Winnipeg doesn't mean it couldn't have worked out well for the Rangers too. Ranger fans seem to be happy/content with the trade, so I'm not in the position to argue with them. They know the team more than I. It looks like it worked out great for both teams.

Rangers only had to give up a redundant player for Trouba, and Pionk has been able to flourish for the Jets.

I remember people killing the return as well. I think it mainly had to do with him being a NYR player. Most haters love to say NYR over values their guys and blah blah blah... NYR fans came on and said Pionk was solid and played well for us but was mainly a redundant player here because of the similar players we had in our system that possess a similar set of skills.
It’s not a Pionks fault that Quinn rode him too hard and didn’t exactly put in in a great position to succeed. Adding the first hurt, but we def wouldn’t have choose Heinola, but can always use another 1st.
Like I said, one of those rare trades where both teams win and both players are doing what they are supposed to do.
I remember the Morrissey-Trouba pair that year. They were excellent for the jets as well. So getting Pionk to really step up was a huge coup for the jets. As more time goes by, I think Trouba is going to get better and more comfortable in his new role where he’s not counted to be a big point producer here

 

[libertarian]

I think it worked out pretty well from the Jets perspective. Trouba's contract was on overpay even before COVID, but it's starting to look better when you see what guys like Nurse and Jones are getting. It's certainly not a boat anchor, and it'll continue to look better as more GMs overpay D and when the cap eventually rises.

Trouba was great here and his chemistry with Morrissey formed a great top pairing. I would've loved to have kept Trouba here. $8 million is steep, but basically every other core piece here is on a discount, so a slight overpay for a top pairing RHD would be easy to stomach, especially with how much better Morrissey would be.

Trouba held all the cards, and the Jets would've lost him for nothing in free agency if they didn't trade him. People were dunking on Chevy and the Jets when they saw the return as Pionk and a 1st for Trouba, so it's been nice to see Pionk doing so great. He was our top defenceman last year, and looking at how he objectively played for us, I don't think it's "insecurity" or "heartbreak" like some may think - I'm just pleased with how this worked out for Winnipeg considering Chevy should've gotten destroyed in the trade, but instead made off quite well. Quite well, indeed.

Also, just because it worked out well for Winnipeg doesn't mean it couldn't have worked out well for the Rangers too. Ranger fans seem to be happy/content with the trade, so I'm not in the position to argue with them. They know the team more than I. It looks like it worked out great for both teams.

Rangers only had to give up a redundant player for Trouba, and Pionk has been able to flourish for the Jets.

This is the best take on the Pionk/Trouba trade. Trades are not always about a winner and loser. Trouba was never going to sign in Winnipeg long term so forcing the Jets to trade him. Rangers got what they wanted from Trouba at a price they can afford. Most Rangers fans seem quite happy with Trouba. Jets got Pionk and Heinola and Pionk has turned into a very nice surprise for Jets fans.

Win/win.

Caveat: If Heinola reaches his full potential and becomes a high scoring puck moving #1D then you can say the Jets won the trade. But that has to happen before anyone can call a winner on this trade.

 

[Double Dion]

Anyone else think Pionk is kind of a fun name to say?

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

This is the best take on the Pionk/Trouba trade. Trades are not always about a winner and loser. Trouba was never going to sign in Winnipeg long term so forcing the Jets to trade him. Rangers got what they wanted from Trouba at a price they can afford. Most Rangers fans seem quite happy with Trouba. Jets got Pionk and Heinola and Pionk has turned into a very nice surprise for Jets fans.

Win/win.

Caveat: If Heinola reaches his full potential and becomes a high scoring puck moving #1D then you can say the Jets won the trade. But that has to happen before anyone can call a winner on this trade.

TLDR, Jets won.

 

[Lays]

TLDR, Jets won.

Eh Trouba is better defensively, physically, and a better leader. Hes very likely our next captain. He’s about a million overpaid at most. I’d rather have Trouba at his contract now than Pionk at his contract. Heinola will sway the trade, if he turns into a top 4, Jets win. If he busts, Rangers win. Rangers were absolutely lost at the end of the year when Trouba went down with an injury. He struggled his first year but rebounded very well. Doesn’t get offensive opportunity to produce enough, but he has an X factor Pionk doesn’t have.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Eh Trouba is better defensively, physically, and a better leader. Hes very likely our next captain. He’s about a million overpaid at most. I’d rather have Trouba at his contract now than Pionk at his contract. Heinola will sway the trade, if he turns into a top 4, Jets win. If he busts, Rangers win. Rangers were absolutely lost at the end of the year when Trouba went down with an injury

Trouba is definitely more physical but I don’t know about better defensively. We don’t need Pionk to be a leader so one of those more not applicable situations.

 

[Lays]

Trouba is definitely more physical but I don’t know about better defensively. We don’t need Pionk to be a leader so one of those more not applicable situations.

I know but Trouba’s leadership has been huge for NYR who have lacked a voice in the room since the old core. There’s been countless stories of him rallying the group including a comeback win where DQ stayed out of the locker room during the 2nd intermission as we were struggling, Trouba was the one to step up and make a speech which ended up with us winning the game. Stuff like this matters. Trouba also has always stepped up when we need him to. In the qualifiers against Carolina he was our best player and the only one aside from Kakko that looked like he gave a crap about the series, he played like an 8 million dollar defenseman there, as well as in rivalry games he’s always the one to initiate physically and give 110%. Pionk doesn’t do these things, and not to knock him as he’s become a good defenseman. Trouba was elite defensively this past year and mentored K’Andre. He’s a very steadying presence on the blue line and will step up whenever we need him to. As I said earlier, Drury wants to name a captain this season and all signs are pointing to it being Trouba. Pionk has never showed these intangibles. For a playoff series, give me Trouba. He’s the type of guy you win with and someone that will be a key piece in a cup run. I’ve just never seen that out of Pionk and I watched the Jets last playoffs

If you’re happy with Pionk that’s good. I can’t change your mind there, but even with contracts included Trouba is more valuable to the Rangers and I wouldn’t trade him for Pionk even with a notable addition.

 

[Adam da bomb]

I know but Trouba’s leadership has been huge for NYR who have lacked a voice in the room since the old core. There’s been countless stories of him rallying the group including a comeback win where DQ stayed out of the locker room during the 2nd intermission as we were struggling, Trouba was the one to step up and make a speech which ended up with us winning the game. Stuff like this matters. Trouba also has always stepped up when we need him to. In the qualifiers against Carolina he was our best player and the only one aside from Kakko that looked like he gave a crap about the series, he played like an 8 million dollar defenseman there, as well as in rivalry games he’s always the one to initiate physically and give 110%. Pionk doesn’t do these things, and not to knock him as he’s become a good defenseman. Trouba was elite defensively this past year and mentored K’Andre. He’s a very steadying presence on the blue line and will step up whenever we need him to. As I said earlier, Drury wants to name a captain this season and all signs are pointing to it being Trouba. Pionk has never showed these intangibles. For a playoff series, give me Trouba. He’s the type of guy you win with and someone that will be a key piece in a cup run. I’ve just never seen that out of Pionk and I watched the Jets last playoffs

If you’re happy with Pionk that’s good. I can’t change your mind there, but even with contracts included Trouba is more valuable to the Rangers and I wouldn’t trade him for Pionk even with a notable addition.

There have definitely been times where Pionk looked like he was the only one who cared and he stepped up his physicality definitely not Trouba size hits. He isn’t the one who gives the locker room speeches as we have wheeler and schief.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

I just know his name is a sound that the Adam West Batman makes when he punches people