Look, mistakes happen, even in the NHL. Even by players on the New York Rangers. It’s the game of hockey at it’s highest level in the world. Have any of us ever played there? Do we know how fast things happen out there? My guess is no.
Listen, Neal Pionk played higher-level hockey by the time he was 16 than most of us ever have, combined. He knows how to play hockey, and he knows how to play hockey well. Pionk has, quite frankly, been the most pleasant surprise of this rebuild and has all the makings of a future top-six defender.