PuckSleuth
4Cap hit
$7M
6.7% of $104M cap
Term
5 yrs
Through 2030-31, then UFA
Clause
M-NTC
Surplus value
−$1.358M
vs. $5.642M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
24:37
PP 0:53 · PK 2:10
xGF%
39.0
5v5, -7.8 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.14
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 1 · Hits 1
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs BOS · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 24:37 | 0:53 | 2:10 | — | 14 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.14 |
| Apr 11 vs PHI · L 7-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20:00 | 2:19 | 2:35 | — | 33 | 1 | 0 | -4 | -0.14 |
| Apr 9 @ STL · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 24:04 | 1:03 | 3:47 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.20 |
| Apr 6 vs SEA · W 6-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 22:15 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 1 | 1 | +2 | -0.03 |
| Apr 4 @ CBJ · W 2-1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 23:56 | 0:58 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.16 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 878 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
30th percentile
46th percentile
40th percentile
46th percentile
45th percentile
46th percentile
70th percentile
61st percentile
30th percentile
58th percentile
35th percentile
25th percentile
78th percentile
59th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleDefensive-minded forward checker
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Pionk is a physical, aggressive defenseman who excels at closing down opponents and forcing turnovers through relentless forechecking. His lack of playmaking instincts and defensive efficiency suggest he's more effective wearing down opponents than orchestrating play or preventing scoring chances.
- Shooting volume
- 82
- Playmaking
- 27
- Zone entries(est.)
- 58
- Forechecking
- 94
- Physicality
- 78
- Defensive impact
- 25
- Puck management
- 60
- Speed
- 25
Where he shoots from
Slot 1% · Mid-range 13% · Perimeter 85%(144 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional forechecking in the 94th percentile shows he dominates at regaining possession in opponent territory
- Strong shooting volume in the 82nd percentile reflects his willingness to generate offense from the blue line
- Solid physicality in the 78th percentile lets him impose his will and disrupt opposing forwards
Watch-outs
- Playmaking in the 27th percentile limits his value in setting up teammates despite high offensive attempts
- Defensive impact in the 25th percentile suggests his aggressive approach leaves him vulnerable to being beaten
- Speed in the 25th percentile may leave him exposed when scrambling back after pushing play forward
Similar style: Logan Stanley (NYI), Nick Seeler (PHI)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 51 GP · goals above average
Season total -3.6 goals, or -0.07 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.5
- Even strength defense
- -0.4
- Power play
- -0.2
- Penalty kill
- +0.3
- Finishing
- -0.4
- Playmaking
- -1.8
- Penalties
- -0.6
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | New York Rangers | 28 | 1 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 1.8 | 22:23 | — | — |
| 2018-19 | New York Rangers | 73 | 6 | 20 | 26 | -16 | 35 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 132 | 4.5 | 21:10 | — | — |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 71 | 6 | 39 | 45 | +10 | 32 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 177 | 3.4 | 23:23 | — | — |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 54 | 3 | 29 | 32 | +6 | 20 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 3.0 | 21:58 | — | — |
| 2021-22 | Winnipeg Jets | 77 | 3 | 31 | 34 | +5 | 46 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 140 | 2.1 | 21:08 | — | — |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 10 | 23 | 33 | -12 | 44 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 142 | 7.0 | 21:56 | — | -0.02 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 5 | 28 | 33 | +9 | 63 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 146 | 3.4 | 20:50 | — | -0.10 |
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 69 | 10 | 29 | 39 | +21 | 44 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 123 | 8.1 | 22:04 | — | +0.11 |
| 2025-26 | Winnipeg Jets | 51 | 3 | 9 | 12 | +1 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 97 | 3.1 | 22:43 | — | -0.07 |
| 2026-27 | Winnipeg Jets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 24:37 | — | -0.14 |
| Career | 10 seasons | 588 | 47 | 221 | 268 | +22 | 333 | 14 | 90 | 0 | 9 | 1113 | 4.2 | 21:52 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs BOS, Oct 2
Pair 1 with Dylan Samberg (13:40 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
No news about him in the last 30 days.
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average -0.20 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.0 mph
- 27th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 14
- Hardest shot
- 90.6 mph
- 50th pct
- Distance
- 162.2 mi
- OZ time
- 41.5%
- 53rd pct
- DZ time
- 41.0%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 31, defensemen typically produce 86% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 35, when the typical level is 67%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
5 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | WPG | $7M | 6.7% |
| 2027-28 | WPG | $7M | 6.2% |
| 2028-29 | WPG | $7M | — |
| 2029-30 | WPG | $7M | — |
| 2030-31 | WPG | $7M | — |
UFA after 2030-31. M-NTC. $35M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).