Confirmed Signing with Link: [WPG] Neal Pionk signs with the Jets (2 years, $3M AAV)

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Wtf has he done to deserve 3mil AAV?

I don’t get it.

He got spoonfed minutes on an awful team. I bet some people around the league actually think lots of ice time = good so this doesn't surprise me.

 

[JT Kreider]

I guess. But they still need to sign Laine and Connor. Figured they’d be more disciplined in their other signings

I hate what the Jets have done this offseason. They've lost some key pieces and made no improvements to keep up with the rest of the Central. Hawks IMO are in for a huge season and I have them pegged to win the division while I see many people have the Stars as the favorite to come out of the West.

They're now a worse, yet more expensive team after they get their RFA's signed.

Edit: of course Laine also has a 50 goal MVP season in him if he can put it all together and they're one of the best teams in the league

 

[Mickey Marner]

GM's over value former Rangers players. Without sounding too cocky it's the whole "get players from a winning stable organization will make us a winning stable organization", which is not exactly true.

It's true. Chicago traded away tons of depth players for inflated values. I'm hoping the Leafs start doing the same. This is slightly more acceptable given he's potentially a top-4 defenseman. But very rarely is the best value forward available the 6-10th best forward from a good team.

 

[SI90]

He got spoonfed minutes on an awful team. I bet some people around the league actually think lots of ice time = good so this doesn't surprise me.

That’s interesting you say that because I’ve often felt the same way.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Yikes

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I still don't understand why the Jets didn't simply let Trouba play out his contract.

 

[Lays]

Folks, don’t ignore the factors that still primarily drive pay in the NHL, such as points, and ice time for defensemen.

Analytics have not caught up to the market no matter what some fans try to convince you.

Ok but he sucks from purely the eye test. And after seeing his analytics he sucks even more.

 

[pld459666]

aha can't wait to see the NYR fans response to this...

Think it's a fair deal.

Hes not as bad as alot of NYR fans would want you to believe, but if relegated to 4/5/6 he'll be fine.

Good luck with the youngster

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Ok but he sucks from purely the eye test. And after seeing his analytics he sucks even more.

And yet, he has 40 points in 101 games, and he has averaged 21:30 of ice time in those games.

Those are the factors that drive pay. That is why he got the contract he did, despite the factors that you listed above.

 

[ffh]

5 million a year less for just as many goals as trouba. Good deal

 

[Irishguy42]

And yet, he has 40 points in 101 games, and he has averaged 21:30 of ice time in those games.

Those are the factors that drive pay. That is why he got the contract he did, despite the factors that you listed above.

I agree. NHL GMs, for the most part, are dumb when it comes to evaluating bad players.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

GM's over value former Rangers players. Without sounding too cocky it's the whole "get players from a winning stable organization will make us a winning stable organization", which is not exactly true.

The Rangers were bottom-5 in wins in the two seasons Pionk played for them.

 

[snowkiddin]

The Rangers were bottom-5 in wins in the two seasons Pionk played for them.

Yeah, that’s really an odd statement to make.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

5 million a year less for just as many goals as trouba. Good deal

What a great way to look at it!

 

[Leonardo87]

Good for Pionk. Didn’t work out here in NY, and sometimes a new team, coach system, and scenery can be good for a player.

 

[DarthProbert]

If they’re paying him that much it means management accepts he’s in their top 4 next year.

Ouch.

If they pay him a little bit too much, casual fans will think the return on Trouba was better than it was. For a little while, anyway.

 

[DRW204]

I think he'll show better on ice results playing lower down in the lineup on the Jets. He's definitely not capable of carrying an anchor against top pairing (ie: playing with Staal) but maybe he can be a bottom pairing offensive specialist? Idk if that's worth this contract though.

 

[tntkid]

What a joke .

Send this dud to the KHL.

 

[Dr Quincy]

Pionk is a decent powerplay option. He was put in a position above his ability for the 1st half of last year. Sheltered bottom pairing and 2nd PP unit.. he may be acceptable, but not $3m worth of acceptable.

 

[JT Kreider]

The Rangers were bottom-5 in wins in the two seasons Pionk played for them.

It is more of a perception is reality kind of thing in this case. Just saying.. the Jets gave up a big haul to get Hayes and then Philly gave him a huge contract and it certainly wasn't because what he did in Winnipeg. Zuccarello got a huge contract and it wasn't because what he did in 15 games in Dallas. The Rangers got a top 10 pick and a top defensive prospect for a very clearly in decline Stepan, the Bruins gave up a big haul for the corpse of Rick Nash.. JT Miller got a huge extension in Tampa and it wasn't because of what he did for them in 35 games.. and then Vancouver gave up a 1st to get him and it wasn't solely based off the 47 points he scored last season. McDonagh pretty much scored a bigger haul for the Rangers then the Senators did for Karlsson and his extension was based off the reputation he earned with his play from 2012-14. The Senators gave up Zibanejad to get Brassard and then flipped him for a 1st round pick based on his Brass-God playoff production for the Rangers. Prust, Hagelin, Stralman, Boyle, Talbot..... You get the point.

 

[heilongjetsfan]

If they’re paying him that much it means management accepts he’s in their top 4 next year.

Ouch.

Trouba, Myers and Chiarot out, Pionk in. Cash-wise, we're way ahead.

No comment about on-ice, but if he can be salvaged as an NHL defenseman, Buff and JoMo are the guys to do it.
Buff made an AHL defenseman look good enough to sign for 3.9 in Montreal.

 

[Skolman]

WPG definitely will be making a trade this summer at some point.

That blue-line is horrendous, and I know horrendous. Just imagine when Buff gets injuried, how much more gross it is.

 

[Lays]

And yet, he has 40 points in 101 games, and he has averaged 21:30 of ice time in those games.

Those are the factors that drive pay. That is why he got the contract he did, despite the factors that you listed above.

Ok? I watched him nearly every one of those games and saw how awful he was. I’m not only saying this after he got traded either, I was a big Pionk defender up until about 2 months in where I lost any hope I had for him. DeAngelo was getting heavy ice time later in the year and he absolutely blossomed where as Pionk just got worse and worse

 

[tntkid]

Ok? I watched him nearly every one of those games and saw how awful he was. I’m not only saying this after he got traded either, I was a big Pionk defender up until about 2 months in where I lost any hope I had for him

What is happening in Winnipeg with Cheveldayoff right now is a complete joke.

It is Chiarelli bad and I am disgusted as Jets Fan.

 

[snowkiddin]

It is more of a perception is reality kind of thing in this case. Just saying.. the Jets gave up a big haul to get Hayes and then Philly gave him a huge contract and it certainly wasn't because what he did in Winnipeg. Zuccarello got a huge contract and it wasn't because what he did in 15 games in Dallas. The Rangers got a top 10 pick and a top defensive prospect for a very clearly in decline Stepan, the Bruins gave up a big haul for the corpse of Rick Nash.. JT Miller got a huge extension in Tampa and it wasn't because of what he did for them in 35 games.. and then Vancouver gave up a 1st to get him and it wasn't solely based off the 47 points he scored last season. McDonagh pretty much scored a bigger haul for the Rangers then the Senators did for Karlsson and the extension was based off the reputation he earned with his play from 2012-14...

You get the point.

I think you can make that argument for a lot of teams though.

Winnipeg for example.

Chiarot, Myers and Tanev all got hugely overpaid in FA. Ladd got signed to an albatross by the Islanders, and it certainly wasn’t because of what he did as an unsuccessful rental with Chicago.

Is this because teams are overpaying for former Winnipeg Jets, or is it bad GMs handing out terrible contracts like candy? I’ll take a shot at the latter.