Neal Pionk signed a six-year, $42 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. It has an average annual value of $7 million.
The 29-year-old defenseman had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 69 regular-season games for the Jets (56-22-4), who won the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team in the NHL and will face the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"[To] think when I got traded here at 101 games coming off my entry-level deal (with the New York Rangers) and to see that we're here is pretty crazy to believe," Pionk said. "You know, I was just breaking into the NHL. Really, I had one full season under my belt, and now we're here and making a Cup run. So, it's really fun."
Game 1 of the best-of-7 series against the Blues will be played at Canada Life Centre on Saturday (6 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX, FDSNMW).
"Never gets old," Pionk said. "Best atmosphere in hockey. I always tell my friends, I played in a lot of places, played internationally, played in some gold medal games, whatever, state championships, and this is the best. Best it gets is the Whiteout."
Pionk could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He was in the last season of a four-year, $23.5 million contract ($5.875 million AAV) he signed with Winnipeg on Aug. 11, 2021.
"We have a chance to win here every year. We love it here, probably most importantly, my family loves it here," Pionk said. "This feels like home to me. Didn't want to leave."
Pionk, who was not drafted, has 256 points (44 goals, 212 assists) in 536 regular-season games with the Jets and Rangers, and 14 assists in 22 playoff games. He was acquired in a trade with the Rangers for Jacob Trouba on June 17, 2019.
"He's extremely popular in our dressing room. He's one of our leaders," Jets coach Scott Arniel said. "He doesn't have an 'A' on his jersey, but he is one of those guys that has a strong voice in there. Real excited that he has decided that he wants to be a Winnipeg Jet for six more years, and I have a relationship that goes all the way back to New York with him (when he was an assistant with the Rangers in Pionk's rookie season in 2017-18). Just a real good person, real good teammate, player.
"He's got an all-around game. When you have top-four defensemen, you’re playing against other teams' top players. He's on the penalty kill, he's on the power play. It gives us an offensive edge. He’s got some bite to him and he also likes to get under the skin of the opposition. He’s one of those guys who is well-rounded and brings a lot to the table in every game."
NHL.com independent correspondent Darrin Bauming contributed to this report
