Neal
Pionk
D · WPG · Limited · Very poor
- PAL
- 7
- WAR
- -0.6
- Value
- 5
- PTS
- 12
2025-26№ 302 / 325
Neal Pionk (Winnipeg Jets) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Neal Pionk
HEIGHT : 183 cm · WEIGHT : 86 kg · SHOOTS : R
Born : July 28, 1995 · Omaha, United States
Contract : $7,000,000 · 2025-26 → 2030-31 · Standard Contract (Extension) · UFA · Signing bonus $4,000,000M-NTC
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Winnipeg Jets | 18 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 6 |
| 2025-26 | Winnipeg Jets | 51 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 37 |
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 69 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 44 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 5 | 28 | 33 | 63 |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 44 |
| 2021-22 | Winnipeg Jets | 77 | 3 | 31 | 34 | 46 |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 54 | 3 | 29 | 32 | 20 |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 71 | 6 | 39 | 45 | 32 |
| 2018-19 | New York Rangers | 73 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 35 |
| 2017-18 | New York Rangers | 28 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 12 |
| NHL totals | 604 | 51 | 228 | 279 | 339 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 13 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 14 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Playoff totals | 35 | 1 | 20 | 21 | 20 | |
Neal Pionk: our analysis
2025-26 season: 51 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 PTS, +1 +/-, 22:43 TOI. WAR -0.6 (302nd of 325) · PAL 7, very poor.
In 2025-26, Neal Pionk, 31, posts a PAL Rating of 7 out of 100 (very poor), and his WAR of -0.6 ranks 302nd among 325 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
His strengths: penalty kill (66, above average) and discipline (64, above average). On the other hand, power play (9, among the weakest in the league) and defense (11, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), no component is positive; the costliest: EV offense (-2.5).
A marked decline: his PAL was 63 in 2024-25, against 7 now; his WAR went from 0.1 to -0.6.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 5 (very poor return) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Neal Pionk's story
The backyard rink Neal Pionk grew up playing on gave him a place to practise with his brothers and friends long before junior coaches took notice; two-on-two games after school were a regular part of his youth in Hermantown. He progressed alongside Dylan Samberg in local programs and helped his high school to a state title before moving into the USHL.
Sioux City selected him in the 2012 USHL Draft, and Pionk developed into a top junior defenseman over three seasons there. After becoming captain in 2014–15 he led USHL defensemen in scoring and earned the league's Defenseman of the Year award, finishing his Musketeers tenure with 77 points and a +44 rating across 119 games.
Pionk committed to the University of Minnesota Duluth for 2015–17, where he combined steady defensive play with growing offensive output: 11 goals and 51 points in 82 collegiate games, multiple NCHC weekly honours and end-of-season all-star selections. He helped Duluth win the 2017 NCHC Tournament and appeared on the Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team; the Bulldogs reached the NCAA final that spring.
Undrafted out of college, Pionk signed with the New York Rangers on 1 May 2017. After starting the 2017–18 season in Hartford, he was recalled in February and made his NHL debut the following night, registering blocked shots. His first NHL goal came in March 2018 during a hot scoring stretch that established him as a regular by 2018–19, when he led Rangers defensemen in power-play points.
Winnipeg acquired Pionk in the June 17, 2019 trade that sent Jacob Trouba to New York; he later signed a two-year extension in July 2019, a four-year deal in August 2021, and a six-year extension after the 2024–25 season. Internationally, he won gold at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge and earned bronze with the United States at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, where he tallied three points in ten games. On the ice he is best described as a puck-moving defenseman who contributes offensively, logs power-play minutes and blocks shots when called upon.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 24:16
- PP TOI/GP
- 3:11
- SH TOI/GP
- 2:06
- Pts/GP
- 0.67
- EV points
- 10
- Hits
- 42
- Blocks
- 21
- Takeaways
- 7
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 54.3 %
- Off. zone starts
- 33.5 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
30between 18 and 40 (80% range)
- Goals
- 9
- Assists
- 21
- Games
- 69
So far: 12 pts in 18 games. The team has played 18 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.35 pts per game (last season: 0.24).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Slight decline
- Points per game: 0.40 in 23-24, 0.24 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 63 → 7
Outlook, age included
↓ DecliningAge 31: the age when production usually declines
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 86 %
62
Depth
- SK
- Skating
- 64
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 64
- Confidence 88 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 79
- Confidence 80 %
- DU
- Durability
- 73
- Confidence 77 %
- CK
- Checking
- 86
- Confidence 88 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 80
- Confidence 64 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 71
- Confidence 88 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 71
- Confidence 86 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 76
- Confidence 86 %
- DF
- Defense
- 62
- Confidence 83 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 83
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating64
- Top speed (35 %)34.7 · 64
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)1.13 · 62
- Distance /60 (20 %)14.2 · 75
- Speed consistency (15 %)33.9 · 66
ST — Strength64
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.976 · 74
- Body mass (50 %)-0.704 · 63
EN — Endurance79
- Ice time per game (45 %)20.9 · 82
- Total ice time (20 %)1,120 · 70
- Shift length (15 %)46.5 · 72
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)19.6 · 82
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)3.34 · 84
DU — Durability73
- Share of games played (100 %)0.803 · 73
CK — Checking86
- Hits /60 (70 %)5.482 · 87
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)4.257 · 84
- Season volume (10 %)4.719 · 85
FG — Fighting80
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.945 · 80
DI — Discipline71
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.049 · 71
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.696 · 71
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.408 · 77
PA — Passing71
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.364 · 75
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.457 · 78
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.101 · 62
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)3.598 · 62
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.224 · 74
SC — Scoring76
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.256 · 79
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.205 · 76
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.429 · 82
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.065 · 67
- xG per shot (10 %)0.031 · 46
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)11.4 · 81
DF — Defense62
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)-0.106 · 56
- Relative xG against (20 %)0.172 · 61
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.647 · 73
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.077 · 67
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.683 · 81
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.4 · 73
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)4.234 · 73
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience83
- Career regular-season games (65 %)90
- Career playoff games (25 %)68
- NHL seasons (10 %)78
OV — Overall62
- DF · Defense (30 %)62
- PA · Passing (22 %)71
- SK · Skating (12 %)64
- SC · Scoring (12 %)76
- EN · Endurance (9 %)79
- ST · Strength (6 %)64
- DI · Discipline (5 %)71
- CK · Checking (4 %)86
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 62 | 64 | 76 | 62 |
| 2024-25 | 72 | 71 | 82 | 64 |
| 2023-24 | 64 | 72 | 77 | 60 |
| 2022-23 | 64 | 74 | 81 | 57 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
-0.6
wins above replacement
302 of 325
PAL Rating
7/ 100
Performance · Very poor
229 of 250 at the position
Value Rating
5/ 100
Very poor return
7.00 M$ · expected PAL 69
ProfileLimitedBelow average at both ends
- Offense
- 17
- Defense
- 15
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 25
- Creation
- 21
- Shooting
- 34
- Possession
- 16
- Defense
- 11
- Discipline
- 64
- Power play
- 9
- Penalty kill
- 66
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | WPG | -0.6 | 7 | 5 | 7.00 M$ |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 0.1 | 63 | 38 | 5.88 M$ |
| 2023-24 | WPG | -1.6 | 9 | 3 | 5.88 M$ |
| 2022-23 | WPG | -0.1 | 20 | 5 | 5.88 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
29/ 100
Below average
better than 29% of defensemen, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
28/ 100
Below average
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
36/ 100
Below average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 159 of 225 defensemen.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 25
- Shot selection
- 4
- Penalties drawn
- 69
- Puck management
- 81
Defense
- Takeaways
- 43
- Discipline
- 30
- Safe zone exits
- 48
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | WPG | 29 | 28 | 36 |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 62 | 44 | 75 |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 51 | 73 | 30 |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 48 | 59 | 40 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
-0.6
wins above replacement
-1.3 to -0.0 — 90% interval
302 of 325 defensemen
-2.9 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -2.5
- EV defense
- -2.0
- Power play
- -0.2
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Shooting
- -0.0
- Penalties
- -0.5
- Average → replacement
- +2.4
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | WPG | 51 | -0.6 | -1.3 to -0.0 | 302/325 |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 67 | 0.1 | -1.0 to 1.4 | 158/314 |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 82 | -1.6 | -2.4 to -0.8 | 315/316 |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 82 | -0.1 | -1.4 to 1.4 | 218/334 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 147.9 km/h74th percentileleague avg. 139.7 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 33.9 km/h47th percentileleague avg. 34.0 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 963rd percentileleague avg. 8
- Offensive zone time
- 43.5 %78th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 92.2 km92nd percentileleague avg. 56.1 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 6.53 km91st percentileleague avg. 4.98 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 43.1 %64th percentileleague avg. 42.8 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.7 %29th percentileleague avg. 16.9 %
- Defensive zone time
- 38.8 %72nd percentileleague avg. 40.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4297th percentile | 497th percentile | 9.5 %75th percentile |
| High danger | 599th percentile | 2100th percentile | 40.0 %81st percentile |
| Mid range | 787th percentile | 073rd percentile | 0.0 %50th percentile |
| Long range | 2599th percentile | 299th percentile | 8.0 %84th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
🔥 2-game point streak
TBL
VAN
MTL
CAR
FLA
DAL
STL
CHI
MIN
ANA
COL
PIT
DET
BOSNeal Pionk: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Neal Pionk have in 2026-27?
Neal Pionk has 4 goals and 12 points (8 assists) in 18 games in 2026-27.
How old is Neal Pionk?
Neal Pionk is 31 years old: he was born on July 29, 1995.
How tall is Neal Pionk, and how much does he weigh?
Neal Pionk is 6'0" (183 cm) and weighs 190 lb (86 kg).
Where is Neal Pionk from?
United States: Neal Pionk was born in Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
What team does Neal Pionk play for?
Neal Pionk plays for the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL, at D, wearing number 4.
Is Neal Pionk injured?
No: Neal Pionk is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Neal Pionk?
Neal Pionk produced -0.6 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 302nd of 325 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 7 out of 100: very poor for his position.
How much does Neal Pionk make?
Neal Pionk earns $7.0M for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 5 out of 100 (very poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Neal Pionk's contract end?
Neal Pionk's contract runs through the 2030-31 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent. It includes a M-NTC clause.
Is Neal Pionk overpaid?
Yes, his output falls short of what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 5 out of 100 (very poor return), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Neal Pionk a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 302nd of 325 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Neal Pionk getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 63 in 2024-25 to 7 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Neal Pionk played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Neal Pionk has 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists).
What are Neal Pionk's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Neal Pionk has 604 games, 51 goals, 228 assists and 279 points. His best season: 2019-20, with 45 points in 71 games.
Is Neal Pionk better at home or on the road?
On the road: in 2026-27, he averages 0.56 points per game at home (5 in 9 games) and 0.78 on the road (7 in 9 games).
How does Neal Pionk perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Neal Pionk has 35 games and 21 points in his career. His pace (0.60 points per game) is higher than his regular-season pace (0.46).
Which player is most similar to Neal Pionk?
Braden Schneider: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Braden Schneider's page →Is Neal Pionk a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 30 points in 2026-27, or 0.43 points per game.
Is Neal Pionk related to anyone famous?
Yes: Scott Pionk (father, played baseball for Proctor High School and the University of Wisconsin–Superior; later coached ice hockey at the youth level and in the USHL).
What is Neal Pionk's nationality?
Neal Pionk is American. Internationally: United States — gold medal at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge (named to the Tournament All-Star Team); bronze medal at the 2018 IIHF World Championship (3 points in 10 games).
What awards has Neal Pionk won?
USHL Defenseman of the Year (2014–15) ; Jerry Chumola Rookie of the Year (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015–16) ; NCHC Defensive Player of the Week (multiple times in 2015–16 and 2016–17) ; NCHC All-Academic Team (2015–16) ; Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team (2017) ; NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey All-Tournament Team (2017) ; World Junior A Challenge Tournament All-Star Team (2013) ; All-NCHC Second Team (2016–17); and more.
How many championships has Neal Pionk won?
3: State championship with Hermantown High School (2013); NCHC Tournament championship with the University of Minnesota Duluth (2017); President's Trophy with the Winnipeg Jets (2024–25 season).
Where did Neal Pionk play before turning pro?
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL), 2012–2015; University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (NCAA), 2015–2017.
How many points is Neal Pionk projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 30 points in 69 games in 2026-27 (18 to 40 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Winnipeg Jets teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)