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

[larmex99]

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.

Spoon-fed? Good one. He was trying to take a drink from a firehose.

 

[Zats Muccarello]

I hope Pionk works out for the Jets and takes steps to become a better player overall but as a Rangers fan I can confidently say this is just too much money.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

I suck at my job but this here gives me hope on that promotion!

 

[Andy6]

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.

 

[ismelofhockey]

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.

Zuccarello got a huge contract because he's a good player who scored at a near PPG clip in the playoffs with Dallas, while being a 50-60 point player for the Rangers. Those kinds of players get $6M of an $81.5M cap rather easily. See Kane in San Jose.

J.T. Miller scored at a PPG pace after being acquired by Tampa Bay, and then got his huge contract. He still scored 47 points this year, showing that his contract is more or less fair value. Vancouver gave up a first to get a character player who can play all positions and provides more than just points locked up long term. Nothing strange about that.

McDonaugh was traded with Miller for Namestnikov, 2 B-prospects (Hayek and Howden), a 1st and a conditional 1st.
Karlsson was traded alone for Tierney, DeMelo, 2 B-prospects (Norris, Balcers), a 1st, and a conditional 1st.
How is that less than what McDonaugh got? Miller is definitely worth more than Namestnikov, so McDonaugh returned 1 B-prospect, a 1st and a cond. 1st? Definitely much less than Karlsson.

The Senators flipped Zibanejad for Brassard to save money, and they traded him for a 1st because he'd played well for them, being a big part of the team that came within one goal of the Stanley Cup Finals.

It's easy to build a narrative when you only take into account what supports that narrative.

Yes, the Rangers have done well in trades but not in all trades. I do not find it surprising that one of the richest teams in the NHL would have a good pro-scouting department and a good GM.

 

[King Woodballs]

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

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

Holy hell your over reactions since July one have been pretty comical

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

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.

Maybe "get players from a prestigious organization" is the way to put it. Because literally nobody ever looked at Neal Pionk and said "he was part of a winning organization with the Rangers."

 

[GaryPoppins]

I said it earlier this year during the season, NYR have to trade him because he will get paid a good amount of money because of his point total. He honestly isnt worth close to it. He just cant defend and isnt effective at all 5v5.

New York was also a terrible team. He will have a strong team around him in Winnipeg and be asked to do far less. It's not unrealistic to expect he will improve

 

[KDOTO]

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.

Bro pretty sure that has nothing to do with the rangers but the players themselves. I've havnt heard rangers and good organizations in a sentence for the longest time until recently. Think ya might be reaching here with this hypothesis of yours. Chicago, penguins, Tampa, Washington yeah I could see it but rangers nahh

 

[Eyeseeing]

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

He would have eaten up too much cap.
Probably would have got 7 million in arbitration,
I’m guessing we clear out another potentially good player yet.
Hopefully Pionk plays decent with sheltering.

 

[razor ray]

So basically the Jets gave NYR Trouba and Lemieux for Pionk now @ 3m per......Good God.

 

[RustyCat]

He'll be playing under Charlie Huddy, who has been pretty good with the Jets D. It isn't a 4 or 5 year deal, it's only 2 years. Give this kid a chance.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Wow just wow. I've watched pionk for years. He is a kid that gives his all every shift and can make some offensive plays if he is a very sheltered role. But he is a #6 defenseman who cant play defense and is soft. Not sure what WIN is doing here

 

[Trxjw]

Pionk basically reached meme status on the Rangers board but there's potential there. Some plus tools that can be honed if he's not thrown in over his head. The Rangers basically had little choice in their deployment of Pionk because Shattenkirk has been a major flop (gee, never saw that coming) and DeAngelo was given a much shorter leash.

He's also had the disadvantage of Lindy Ruff as a defensive coach for two years.

 

[JeremyTB]

So Jets are trying to figure out how they can sign both Laine and Connor and here they give Pionk $3 million per year.

 

[MessierII]

Wow just wow. I've watched pionk for years. He is a kid that gives his all every shift and can make some offensive plays if he is a very sheltered role. But he is a #6 defenseman who cant play defense and is soft. Not sure what WIN is doing here

So far he’s yet to play #6 minutes in the nhl. He’s been thrown to the top 4 right off the hop and done reasonably well.

 

[Lorenzo1000]

I don't hate the term, and only marginally dislike the AAV. My problems are that pro scouting for the Jets seems to be abyssmal, and that the optics make it look like they're overpaying for a marginal defenseman, while nickel-and-diming one of their best, underrated 2-way centers.

I hope they buy out Kulikov's last year of contract.

How are they nickel and diming Copp? Because he selected arbitration and his agent set the value high and the Jets set it low? That's how arbitration works. Do you think Copp's agent is easy to negotiate with? I assume you know who his agent is...

 

[Daximus]

So Jets are trying to figure out how they can sign both Laine and Connor and here they give Pionk $3 million per year.

We're buying out Kulikov likely. Gives us more than enough to sign Copp, Laine and Connor.

 

[jrs]

Good deal, I was worried the jets wouldn't get above the cap floor.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Yikes. 3M for a bottom pair defenseman? Is that what they go for these days?

 

[Irishguy42]

So far he’s yet to play #6 minutes in the nhl. He’s been thrown to the top 4 right off the hop and done reasonably well.

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

...nope.

 

[MessierII]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

...nope.

Dudes basically a rookie. What he’s gonna waltz into the nhl and kill it playing 21 minutes a night on a god awful team? Like what could he have done?

 

[EdJovanovski]

Poss Entries Allowed per 60 was in the bottom 1% of any player in the NHL. His Scoring chances for %: 43.84 (worst in NHL) Corsi differential: -249 (2nd worst in NHL) His Corsi Against p/60: 61.74 (3rd worst in NHL) Corsi p/60: 48.89 (3rd worst in NHL) Corsi for %: 44.2 (2nd worst in NHL) Expected GF%: 45.04 (2nd worst in NHL) High Danger Scoring Chances for %: 44.23 (2nd worst in NHL) His GAR was -5.8 & WAR was -0.4. 5v5 Unblocked Shots Against went up by 15% & 5v5 Unblocked Shots For went down 8% when Pionk was on the ice.

 

[Irishguy42]

Dudes basically a rookie. What he’s gonna waltz into the nhl and kill it playing 21 minutes a night on a god awful team? Like what could he have done?

Shown progress throughout the year? He did nothing but show that he had fluke point production.

I would expect a rookie to show some semblance of overcoming playing poorly, even if thrown into tough situations from the start.

Pionk did none of that, nor showed signs it was going to happen. Most rookies would have shown signs of "getting it" at some point.

The excuse of "he's a rookie" is a pretty lame brush-off tbh. It's not like he's some 19 year-old coming into the league.

 

[MessierII]

Shown progress throughout the year? He did nothing but show that he had fluke point production.

I would expect a rookie to show some semblance of overcoming playing poorly, even if thrown into tough situations from the start.

Pionk did none of that, nor showed signs it was going to happen.

The excuse of "he's a rookie" is pretty lame tbh. It's not like he's some 19 year-old coming into the league.

I bet you 90% his struggles are due to playing 21+ minutes a night on a god awful team. No rookie D man is having success in that situation.