Having filed his request to go with the arbitration process, the Winnipeg Jets' defenceman can now put all that behind him, having just reached an agreement with the team on a new long-term contract. Pionk has reportedly signed a four-year contract with the Jets worth $5.875 million annually.
The 26-year-old Pionk was in his second season in Winnipeg, having been traded by the Rangers on June 17, 2019, in the deal that sent Jacob Trouba to New York. After a 45-point season in 71 games (0.63 points/game), he had 32 points in 54 games this season (0.59 points/game) while maintaining a +6 record.
The battle at the blue line will be quite fierce in Winnipeg next season with the arrival of new players like Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillon. Nevertheless, a spot on the top two pairs will be available on the right side for the American right-handed defenseman.
