WINNIPEG — Neal Pionk still speaks softly, though nobody is wondering anymore if he can carry a big stick.
When it comes to the Winnipeg Jets defenceman, he arrived with big shoes to fill, following the June 2019 trade that brought him over from the New York Rangers (along with a 2019 first-round draft pick that turned into Ville Heinola) for fellow blue-liner Jacob Trouba.
The reaction to the move made by Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff in the days leading up to the draft was swift and mostly negative, much like it was last month when Pierre-Luc Dubois was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic.
How could the Jets send the ninth-overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, a guy who was playing top-pairing minutes and just produced a career-high 50 points and only get a relatively unknown and undrafted college free agent in return?
It was a reasonable question on the surface, though the answer has become more apparent over the course of time.
This wasn’t about where the players were at back then, it had more to do with the level the Jets were projecting Pionk might eventually reach.
The truth of the matter was that most people hadn’t seen Pionk play a single NHL game, let alone be able to pick him out of a crowd.
Most observers had no idea what the organization was getting in return.
It turns out the Jets had done their due diligence and received a more-than-capable D-man who has turned out to be an outstanding fit.
Pionk had his fingerprints all over Monday’s 6-5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place and no, that’s not a misprint.
The defenceman had a massive impact in a game that saw the Jets take a 4-1 lead to chase Mike Smith after 11 shots on goal, only to see the Oilers even the score 5-5 early in the third period before captain Blake Wheeler responded with the game-winner at 6:22 on a nifty redirection.
Despite the high-octane offensive outburst that was reminiscent of a Smythe Division battle right out of the 1980s, there was Pionk battling along the boards and delivering a jarring check on Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl in the latter stages of the contest as the Jets attempted to preserve a one-goal lead.
There was Pionk, physically engaged in numerous battles with Oilers captain Connor McDavid — including one at the defensive blue line where Pionk appeared to take a stick in the face that went unpenalized.
No matter, Pionk didn’t look for an official to plead his case, he simply dusted himself off during the stoppage in play and got ready for his next shift.
And there was Pionk, chipping in another two assists as his offensive numbers continue to rise.
“They’re two of the best players in the world. To go toe-to-toe with them, it’s fun competing against them and it’s fun playing against them,” said Pionk, who is up to 12 points in 15 games. “Obviously, it’s a challenge every night, but we got it done.”
It wasn’t always pretty and it’s never easy, but Pionk’s ability to handle the shutdown role alongside free-agent acquisition Derek Forbort has been a massive development as the Jets improved to 9-5-1 to start a four-game road trip.
Never mind that Pionk is a bit undersized, his skill set, compete level and ability to get inside leverage allow him to not only survive, but often thrive against the opponent’s top players.
Jets head coach Paul Maurice and his staff are comfortable using Pionk in any situation — and it’s easy to see why.
“He’s been really solid for us,” said Jets left-winger Kyle Connor. “He can run a power play, he’s great at getting the pucks through. When he’s up top, he finds the good lanes and doesn’t seem to get it blocked very much.
“He plays hard, too. I mean you saw him against McDavid a lot of times out there. Great speed and closing ability, good stick. He kind of does everything really well, and has been one of our best defencemen this year.”
One minor correction to that final statement from Connor: Pionk has been the best defenceman for the Jets to this point — and that’s not meant to take anything away from the play of his regular partner, Forbort.
Pionk and Forbort spent the summer skating together in Duluth, Minn., and it’s clear they used the time wisely and developed some chemistry that has carried over into this compressed season.
“I always knew who he was. I actually played hockey with and against his younger brother growing up, so I knew the family a little bit and of course knew who he was,” said Pionk, who recorded a career-best 45 points in 71 games with the Jets last season. “He’s a pretty laid-back guy, has a pretty good sense of humour. Then on the ice, his hockey IQ is pretty high. It’s been fun playing with him.”
As you can see, Pionk prefers to let his play do the talking for him.
When he does speak, he chooses his words carefully and doesn’t get overly emotional.
Not only is Pionk concise and to the point, he never draws attention to himself.
Consider the reaction to this query, seeking a quick comment about what it’s been like to take on a role with so much responsibility attached to it since joining the Jets.
“It’s great having the trust of the coaching staff along with the great players that surround me,” said Pionk. “It makes my job easy.”
Pionk isn’t here to be a quote machine, he’s focused on more important tasks.
Besides, his Jets teammates are more than happy to keep tossing compliments in his direction.
“He’s amazing,” said Jets centre Mark Scheifele, who had a goal and three points to extend a personal points streak to seven games. “You see he puts his heart on his sleeve every single night and he battles for us and does everything. From PP to PK to 5-on-5, whatever it is, he’s battling his hardest and he’s giving it his all. That’s all you can ask of the guy and he does a fantastic job.”
Maurice doesn’t think Pionk is going to fly under the radar much longer, not with all the attention being paid across the country after the creation of the North Division.
“He’s an exceptional player. Eventually, Neal will be appreciated, in part because he plays in Canada,” said Maurice. “If he was playing in a less scrutinized market, his game might quietly be underappreciated. But we certainly appreciate it here.”
NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
NEW YORK – Florida Panthers centre Sam Reinhart was named NHL first star of the week on Monday after leading all players with nine points over four games last week.
Reinhart had four goals, five assists and a plus-seven rating to help the Stanley Cup champions post a 3-0-1 record on the week and move into first place in the Atlantic Division.
New York Rangers left-winger Artemi Panarin took the second star and Minnesota Wild goaltenderFilip Gustavsson was the third star.
Panarin had eight points (4-4) over three games.
Gustavsson became the 15th goalie in NHL history to score a goal and had a 1.00 goals-against average and .962 save percentage over a pair of victories.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson won’t finish the season as Cleveland’s starting quarterback for the second straight year.
He’s injured again, and the Browns have new problems.
Watson ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the first half of Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati, collapsing as he began to run and leading some Browns fans to cheer while the divisive QB laid on the ground writhing in pain.
The team feared Watson’s year was over and tests done Monday confirmed the rupture. The Browns said Watson will have surgery and miss the rest of the season but “a full recovery is expected.”
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year after just six starts.
The 29-year-old went down Sunday without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson crumpled to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
He immediately put his hands on his helmet, clearly aware of the severity of an injury similar to the one Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sustained last year.
As he was being assisted by the team’s medical staff and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson grabbed a ball to begin warming up, there was some derisive cheers and boos from the stands in Huntington Bank Field.
Cleveland fans have been split over Watson, who has been accused of being sexually inappropriate with women.
The reaction didn’t sit well with several Watson’s teammates, including star end Myles Garrett, the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who was appalled by the fans’ behavior.
“We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone and their downfall. To be season-altering, career-altering injury,” Garrett said. “Man’s not perfect. He doesn’t need to be. None of us are expected to be perfect. Can’t judge him for what he does off the field or on the field because I can’t throw stones for my glass house.
“Ultimately everyone’s human and they’re disappointed just like we are, but we have to be better than that as people. There’s levels to this. At the end of the day, it’s just a game and you don’t boo anybody being injured and you don’t celebrate anyone’s downfall.”
Backup quarterback Jameis Winston also admonished the uncomfortable celebration.
“I am very upset with the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years, and he put his body and life on the line for this city every single day,” he said. “The way I was raised, I will never pull on a man when he’s down, but I will be the person to lift him up.
“I know you love this game. When I first got here, I knew these were some amazing fans, but Deshaun was treated badly and now he has to overcome another obstacle. So I’m going to support him, I’m going to lift him up and I’m going to be there for him.”
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s tumultuous time with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks and five overall to Houston in 2022 to get him, with owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam approving the team giving Watson a fully guaranteed, five-year $230 million contract.
With a solid roster, the Browns were desperate to find a QB who could help them compete against the top AFC teams.
The Browns had moved on from Baker Mayfield despite drafting him No. 1 overall in 2018 and making the playoffs two seasons later.
But Watson has not played up to expectations — fans have been pushing for him to be benched this season — and Cleveland’s move to get him has been labeled an abject failure with the team still on the hook to pay him $46 million in each of the next two seasons.
Watson’s arrival in Cleveland also came amid accusations by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. Two grand juries declined to indict him and he has settled civil lawsuits in all but one of the cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games and fined $5 million for violating the league’s personal conduct policy before he took his first snap with the Browns. The long layoff — he sat out the 2021 season in a contract dispute — led to struggles once he got on the field, and Watson made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
Cleveland signed veteran Joe Flacco, who went 4-1 as a starter and led the Browns to the playoffs.
Before Watson got hurt this year, he didn’t play much better. He was one of the league’s lowest-rated passers for a Cleveland team that hasn’t scored 20 points in a game and is back in search of a franchise QB.
