The Winnipeg Jets are taking care of business ahead of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Presidents' Trophy winners are set to take on the St. Louis Blues in the opening round, and one of their top defenders will enter the series with a hefty new contract.
The Jets announced that they signed defenseman Neal Pionk to a huge contract extension. The new deal is a six-year extension and will pay him an average annual value of $7 million. The deal makes him the highest-paid defender on the team, surpassing Josh Morrissey's $6.25 million annual salary.
Pionk has become a model of two-way consistency since entering the NHL. Originally an undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers. After a breakout, 26-point year with the Rangers, they traded him and a first-round pick to Winnipeg to acquire their future captain, Jacob Trouba.
Once he joined Winnipeg, Pionk's game hit the next level. He recorded a career high of 45 points in 71 games during the 2019-2020 campaign. In the five seasons since, he's surpassed the 30-point mark every single time while also averaging at least 21 minutes of ice time. He's also had two 10-goal campaigns in that span, including 10 goals and 39 points in 69 games this season.
When the Jets open their playoff series against the Blues, Pionk will be crucial. He and Morrissey are two of the best skaters in the playoff field, and their ability to break through a St. Louis forecheck will be critical in winning the series.
Now that Pionk has this new contract and is the highest-paid defender in the NHL, how will he respond to the pressure? The Jets are the regular season's best team, and many expect them to win the Western Conference and possibly the Stanley Cup. Pionk's production and two-way performance will go a long way toward that goal, and they will have him around for this and six more postseasons after signing this extension.
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