New York Rangers: Why Neal Pionk was the true NCAA prize

The New York Rangers signing of Neal Pionk flew under the radar of NCAA free agents. Here is why Pionk will be the true win of the college free agent pool.

The New York Rangers have never been shy to dip into the NCAA free agent pool. At least once per summer, the Rangers take a chance on a college player. The results may be mixed, but it is never a bad idea to acquire a prospect for free.

The Rangers have had much luck with players from college. Kevin Hayes is a regular NHL player that produces with regularity. Jimmy Vesey has potential to be a consistent, solid middle six winger. In addition, Vinni Lettieri hopes to prove himself in the near future with Hartford.

This year’s class included notable free agent players Alex Kerfoot and Will Butcher. Instead, the Rangers went off the radar and signed defensemen Vince Pedrie and Neal Pionk. While Pedrie may need time, if he even becomes an NHL player at all, Pionk is a sleeper pick for the NHL sooner rather than later.

NCAA Free Agent Projections

When it comes to NCAA free agents, it is rare to find one that is anything particularly special. Most players coming off of their fourth year generally don’t project well. The older they are by that fourth year, the worse off.

Some four year NCAA free agents become very good AHL players. One such example is AHL regular Andy Miele. In college, the undrafted forward was a big time point producer. In the AHL, that trend continued in spades. However, he could not at any point score a consistent NHL role.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jimmy Vesey did make it to the NHL. A combination of his draft status and his NCAA production scored him an NHL role. However, after a hot start, he leveled off as a 27 point scorer. This isn’t bad, but hardly what the hype made him out to be.

Considering Alex Kerfoot, a four year NCAA player that was drafted by New Jersey, does not stand up to Jimmy Vesey statistically, it can be argued that his potential lies outside of the NHL. Since his position is a hot commodity on the cheap in the NHL, a fourth line center projection isn’t entirely out of the question.

A similar projection on the defensive end can be made for Will Butcher. A bottom pairing defenseman is likely what Butcher will become. As a four year college defenseman, expectations for his production must be quelled. If he were not signed by New Jersey, it is likely he’d start in the AHL.

History has shown that these are the tracks most four year college free agents follow. Age is a factor, as are years played. Looking at the histories of players like Butcher and Kerfoot, we can make some estimation for Pionk’s future.

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Neal Pionk

First of all, let’s take a look at the kind of player Pionk is. A right handed defenseman, Pionk is a terrific skater with a big one timer and good vision. This style of player is exactly what the Rangers need in their system.

Pionk spent two years in college after spending three seasons with Sioux City of the USHL. With them, he was a good offensive producer, but went undrafted due to questions about his size. Because of two strong years for Minnesota Duluth, teams are now regretting their choice to let him slip.

Courtesy of the New York Rangers Twitter, you can view a small portion of Pionk’s highlights from this season above.

Though the video is short, it shows much of what Pionk is good at. Moving the puck is his specialty, and taking big one timers is a top tier strength of his. Both of these are tools that the Rangers not only desperately need, but have lacked for many years, both in the system and on the team itself.

Pionk has also shown the propensity for a mean streak. Though this does come with some risks, it shows that he does not shy away from the physical aspect of the game. For a smaller defenseman, this is a nice compliment to his strong skating, offensive style.

Pionk vs Butcher

Since Pionk and Butcher are both defensemen, let’s consider them:

Will Butcher spent four years with Denver, scoring 37 points in 43 games as a senior at age 22. At 21, Pionk was a sophomore, scoring 34 points in 42 games. Being one year younger, and with less college experience, Pionk was already at the level Butcher currently is at.

This production bodes well for Pionk’s future. While Butcher showed enough immediate talent to get drafted, Pionk eventually grew at a faster pace. As a result, Pionk could continue to mature at the pace at which he is going, while Butcher is more likely to taper off sooner than later. Taking the risk on the higher risk, higher ceiling was a smart play by the Rangers.

With prospects, it is always best to err on the side of the higher ceiling. Sometimes, a player may be more enticing because they are better right away. With Kerfoot or Butcher, those desires would be fulfilled. With Pionk, the Rangers get a player that may take longer, but has a chance to rise above the rest.

Neal Pionk will very likely begin the season with Hartford. There, he will get his chance to prove to the Rangers that he is ready for the NHL. His skill set is much needed within the organization, and past trends point to him becoming a Rangers regular. In a class of players with hype surrounding them, the Rangers may win the summer with their under the radar signing, Neal Pionk.