Neal Pionk Rising to the Occasion as Jets Navigate Life Without Josh Morrissey

When the Winnipeg Jets lost star defenseman Josh Morrissey to an upper-body injury that has him listed as week-to-week, the question was who could possibly fill the void on the top pairing and the top power-play unit. So far, the answer has been Neal Pionk, and he has handled the job better than many expected.

Morrissey last played on October 7 before being placed on injured reserve and in the four games since, Pionk has taken on a much heavier workload, logging more than 25 minutes in two of the four games. He has also provided more offense, after recording just one assist in his first four games of the season, but in the four games without Morrissey he has produced a goal and four assists for five points.

The 31-year-old has done it without sacrificing his physical edge as during that stretch, he is tied for the team lead with nine hits and sits fourth on the club with five blocked shots. The results in the standings haven't followed, as the Jets have lost three of the four games without Morrissey. 

Still, Pionk's own numbers hold up with a plus-one in on-ice goal differential over that span, with the Jets scoring six goals at even strength and two on the power play while he was on the ice. At the other end, Winnipeg allowed five goals at even strength and two shorthanded.

The Omaha, Nebraska native will need to keep it up as Morrissey's absence continues, starting Tuesday when the Jets visit the St. Louis Blues. He has historically had success against the division rival, with three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in his last 23 games against St. Louis, and will look to tap into that offensive upside once again.

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