On this week’s episode of Leader of the Pack, hosted by our beloved CEO Tom Sega, we hosted local “Duluthian” and inspiring leader Neal Pionk. In this episode we dove into his hometown roots, his immediate passion for hockey as an adolescent, and the grit behind the career of a professional hockey player. 

Pionk’s Immediate Passion for Hockey  

Neal was born in Omaha, Nebraska, showing signs early on that he had a passion for the sport of hockey. Hockey was always heavily influenced by his family as his dad was the head coach of the Waterloo Blackhawks for two seasons and his four other brothers also played hockey. Furthermore, his mom said he was always obsessed with hockey before even putting on a pair of skates. In fact, Pionk stated that when he was a small child, he only knew a handful of numbers and his dad later found out that the numbers he knew were from the roster of the hockey team his dad coached. The Pionk family moved to Hermantown, Minnesota where Neal began playing for Hermantown’s youth hockey program. From a young age, there was always something different about him and he was often referred to as “the student of the hockey game”. Friends, families, and spectators always commented on Pionk’s natural talent and knew he would go far with hockey in the future.  

Hockey Achievements Before Going Pro  

Between 2011 and 2013, Neal was the starting defenseman for the Hermantown Hawks as a sophomore in high school and took his team to the state championship in 2013. Interestingly, immediately after the championship game, Neal decided that his path was to leave high school hockey early and pursue a hockey career in junior hockey. He said that he took his parents car down that night to Sioux City, Iowa to play in the United States Hockey League for the Sioux City Musketeers. During his time as a Musketeer (2014 – 2015), he represented the USA at the Junior A Challenge Tournament and was named to the all-star tournament team as well as won a gold medal, was named the youngest captain in history for the Musketeers and first all-star team, and was the Defenseman of the Year in the USHL. In 2015, he committed to a collegiate career with the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs and excelled. He played for the Bulldogs for two seasons, and in 2017 he made the all-tournament team in the NCAA.  

Pionk’s Professional Career 

In May of 2017, Neal entered the pro ranks as a free-agent with the New York Rangers, signing a $3.55 million contract. Pionk told Tom that he experienced a massive culture shock when he first moved to New York, specifically with the subway system and the “busyness” that the city is known for. New York is quite different from Duluth, and it took some getting used to for this young hockey player. He also said that it took him about two weeks to decide what pro-team he wanted to play for. During his 2017-2018 season with the Rangers, he also split his time with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, playing a total of 48 games with them. Neal ended up joining the Rangers full-time during the 2018-2019 season, recording six goals and 26 points in 73 games. He said the coolest experience he had was playing at Madison Square Garden and that it “didn’t feel real”. He also represented Team USA again at the 2018 IIHF World Championship where he recorded three points and won a bronze medal. In June of 2019, Neal was traded to the Winnipeg Jets and signed a 2-year contract with them. In the podcast he states, “it was a very quick phone call… the coaches are really good at keeping emotion out of it”. Most recently, he signed a four-year, $23.5 million extension contract with the Jets and still plays for them today.  

Advice from Neal  

Neal Pionk has had an extraordinary hockey career in his 26 years on this Earth. Through examining his statistics and achievements with Tom, he also gave wise advice to young hockey players listening. He has always been a huge advocate for playing multiple sports growing up because it omitted the chance of burning out. He says that it’s extremely important to build an “athletic base” because it not only helps you become a better athlete, but it gives you a variety of sports to love. In fact, what many may not know is Neal played baseball until he was 21 and to this day enjoys other sports, such as golf. Another piece of advice he wants people to know is that it is extremely necessary to rest when you can. During his off-season, he takes 6 weeks off skating and 2-3 weeks off working out to not only rest his body but his mind as well. Finally, he exclaimed that there is a very important question each hockey player should ask themselves… do you want to play hockey or be a hockey player?  

Neal, we thank you for sharing your story with us and continuing to be leader and a role model for many. It was an honor to hear your story!