Player Discussion: Neal Pionk Part 2

[Eyeseeing]

Josh is the better D-man hands down.

Pionk has 2 RFA years owed to the team after this one.

Pionk should sign a 4-5 year contract with Jets in the 5 mill-$5.2 mill range.

His high point totals the last 2 years are inflated by his usage with the Jets high. Octane offensive forwards.
If he was another team his point totals would be much lower!

Josh Morrissey will turn it around and will be the key to our defence for the next 7.5 years left on his contract.

If Buff / Myers/ and Chairot would have stayed and played on the Jets last year ...... Pionk s usage would have been totally different and we would be looking to re sign Pionk this summer at 4 mill per season over 5 years!!!

If Jomo had more of a supporting cast ok but that’s not how it is .
Pionk is simply better as conditions are for both

 

[LowLefty]

Haven't been much of a Pionk fan - always thought he was a bit weak on the puck in his own end - but he's making me a believer.
His last game was an eye opener - played a great game at both ends.

 

[KingBogo]

Pionk is getting more and more costly with every game. It wasn’t too long ago I saw him as expendable with Heinola in the wings. Now I just hope Chevy can get him under contract at a reasonable number.

 

[Adam da bomb]

If Jomo had more of a supporting cast ok but that’s not how it is .
Pionk is simply better as conditions are for both

I’m not sure what you are saying. But Pionk is able to do more with less as he has been good with forbort and jmo hasn’t been particularly good with any guy this year other than Heinola and forbort and poolman are close enough.

 

[_Del_]

Pionk has never really impressed me, but every time I've seen him this year, he has been great. I've only read this page of the thread, but is the consensus that he is the real deal now?

 

[Adam da bomb]

Pionk has never really impressed me, but every time I've seen him this year, he has been great. I've only read this page of the thread, but is the consensus that he is the real deal now?

He is a deal with his current contract.

 

[JetsFan815]

Just keep him on the ice all 60 mins. He has been amazing this season... he's like a mini-Buff out there... throwing big hits, bombing them from the point and going for a skate with the puck in the offensive zone.

 

[snowkiddin]

Can’t afford to lose Pionk given our depth on the right side. Kid is balling out, easily our best D. If we can get him at something like 6x6 I’d be floored.

 

[snowkiddin]

Just keep him on the ice all 60 mins. He has been amazing this season... he's like a mini-Buff out there... throwing big hits, bombing them from the point and going for a skate with the puck in the offensive zone.

That’s actually a great comparison

 

[Whileee]

It's early, but Pionk is having a strong season so far.

 

[Jets 31]

Just keep him on the ice all 60 mins. He has been amazing this season... he's like a mini-Buff out there... throwing big hits, bombing them from the point and going for a skate with the puck in the offensive zone.

I was thinking the same thing the other day, Pionk is Buff's Mini-me .

 

[Channelcat]

Pionk is getting more and more costly with every game. It wasn’t too long ago I saw him as expendable with Heinola in the wings. Now I just hope Chevy can get him under contract at a reasonable number.

I'm not sure a reasonable number is possible. Pionk is only 25 and he looks like a number 1 D right now. I don't see too many guys who can handle McDavid like he does. However........I do question whether you can truly be a #1D at 175 lbs. We haven't really seen that before.

 

[jokesondee]

He's the only guy making plays, throwing hits, and playing with heart. Forbort, Morrissey, and Demelo need to wake the F up, and Beaulieu needs to grab some popcorn in the pressbox.

 

[BoneDocUK]

I'm not sure a reasonable number is possible. Pionk is only 25 and he looks like a number 1 D right now. I don't see too many guys who can handle McDavid like he does. However........I do question whether you can truly be a #1D at 175 lbs. We haven't really seen that before.

Maybe not. I feel like we've seen a few smaller top D, and more and more in recent years. And his mobility and balance are exceptional enough that he can steer or power much bigger players off the puck. Really liking his game this season, looking more and more like the complete package, and not sure other team will offer the package that we can.

 

[Whileee]

I'm not sure a reasonable number is possible. Pionk is only 25 and he looks like a number 1 D right now. I don't see too many guys who can handle McDavid like he does. However........I do question whether you can truly be a #1D at 175 lbs. We haven't really seen that before.

Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Ellis both play at a top pairing level. Pionk is improving, and is now bordering on a top pairing level, in my view.

 

[DRW204]

It's early, but Pionk is having a strong season so far.

View attachment 397562

Where's Morrissey rank on here?

 

[Whileee]

Where's Morrissey rank on here?

I would have to scroll down a few pages.

Here's the Jets situation at this point.

Morrissey...

Wheeler...

Beaulieu...

 

[DRW204]

I would have to scroll down a few pages.

Here's the Jets situation at this point.

Morrissey...

Wheeler...

Beaulieu...

View attachment 397579

i mean league-wide for Morrissey haha. i know it's not pretty but just wondering HOW bad it is

 

[Gm0ney]

I don't know how the Jets can afford Pionk. I guess they could give him Stastny's money. Then we have nearly $13M tied up in him and Morrissey for the next 5-8 years? I mean...

 

[Adam da bomb]

I don't know how the Jets can afford Pionk. I guess they could give him Stastny's money. Then we have nearly $13M tied up in him and Morrissey for the next 5-8 years? I mean...

I don’t know how they can’t afford him. Move Jmo if you have to. Pionk has already proven he is better you keep better players if they’ll sign under 8mil.

 

[Whileee]

i mean league-wide for Morrissey haha. i know it's not pretty but just wondering HOW bad it is

Using total xGAR, he's 190 among D (at least 100 minutes).

But he has some illustrious company near the bottom at this point in the season.

Edit: should have highlighted Provorov near the bottom, too.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

I don't know how the Jets can afford Pionk. I guess they could give him Stastny's money. Then we have nearly $13M tied up in him and Morrissey for the next 5-8 years? I mean...

That is actually pretty cheap. If JMO is injured and just coming out of that, his game should pick up. You also have guys like Heinola,Samberg and few other young D coming in on cheap ELCs. By the time you have to pay one or 2 of those either the cap has gone up or one of those is off the books

 

[HannuJ]

It's early, but Pionk is having a strong season so far.

View attachment 397562

there are a few names there that i think are fool's gold. Nurse, Petry, Holl.
hopefully Pionk isn't also fool's good. sure doesn't look like it.

 

[DRW204]

there are a few names there that i think are fool's gold. Nurse, Petry, Holl.
hopefully Pionk isn't also fool's good. sure doesn't look like it.

Petry has been pretty good for MTL for a while. Nurse & Holl i am unsure of though.

 

[Whileee]

That is actually pretty cheap. If JMO is injured and just coming out of that, his game should pick up. You also have guys like Heinola,Samberg and few other young D coming in on cheap ELCs. By the time you have to pay one or 2 of those either the cap has gone up or one of those is off the books

This is a good point. The cap won't remain flat forever. The Jets are in a good cap situation, and they could certainly afford Pionk at around $5.5-6M. It might turn out to be a bad contract, but I don't think so. I think he's going to be a solid #2-4 D for the next several seasons, with some potential to improve. He's better defensively than I expected, but I think his offense has room to grow as the shackles come off. As long as the contract isn't too long, having Pionk offers stability in the top-4, while players like Samberg and Heinola come into the roster.