Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Jets Sign Pionk to 6-Year Extension With $7 Million Average Annual Value

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Declan Schroeder | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 1:17 PM ET

The Winnipeg Jets have dished out a lucrative extension to defenseman Neal Pionk, inking him to a new six-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $7 million. The extension will kick in next season.

The 29-year-old had something of a renaissance season in the last year of his four-year deal that paid him an AAV of $5.875 million. Skating on the second pairing primarily with Dylan Samberg, he recorded 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points and a plus-21 rating in 69 games while averaging 22:04 in ice time and dishing out 114 hits. His ice time is the most since his rookie 2017-18 season with the New York Rangers.

The 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman has patrolled the Jets blue line for six seasons since being acquired from the New York Rangers in a 2019 trade that sent Jacob Trouba the other way. He has proven to be offensively consistent and durable, but his actual defensive game has been suspect and chaotic at times. That, combined with the monetary figure and that his new deal won’t expire until he’s 35, will undoubtedly lead some to criticize general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff for this deal.

Pionk, an undrafted player who was born in Nebraska but grew up in Minnesota, made his NHL debut with the Rangers in 2017-18 after he spent three seasons in the United States Hockey League and two seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

In 536-career NHL games between the Jets and Rangers, he has recorded 44 goals and 212 assists for 256 points and 14 assists in 22-career playoff games.

Pionk is the second player Cheveldayoff has extended in as many days. Yesterday, he signed forward Alex Iafallo to a three-year extension with a $3.67 million AAV.