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New York Rangers Stock Market: Scoring surges and offensive droughts

By Jennifer Moglia

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: The New York Rangers salute the crowd after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-2 at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: The New York Rangers salute the crowd after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-2 at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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CALGARY, AB – MARCH 15: Neal Pionk #44 of the New York Rangers celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on March 15, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – MARCH 15: Neal Pionk #44 of the New York Rangers celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on March 15, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images) /

Down: Neal Pionk

Unfortunately for Neal Pionk, he has still yet to hit his stride this season. In his last five games, he has just one point, a goal assisted by Ryan Strome in the game against the Calgary Flames. This was his first point since February 24th,  an assist against the Washington Capitals.

Furthermore, the tally was his first goal since December 22nd, a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs he had both a goal and an assist in. Including that matchup against the Leafs, Pionk has only five points since December 22nd (30 games), two goals and three assists.

He was somewhat consistent earlier in the season and has seemed to drop off a bit since late December. Of course, many factors can go into this.

The young defenseman is juggled throughout the lineup quite frequently, between varying defensive partners and scattered healthy scratches. However, those healthy scratches have begun to die down, showing that Coach David Quinn trusts him more than other players.

That definitely means that now is Pionk’s time to prove himself, which he hasn’t done very well. His goal this week was his first point in nine games, and his first goal in 30.

Though this year is a larger sample size, and there’s still time left, he isn’t quite playing at the pace he was last year. Through 28 games during the 2017-2018 season, the blue-liner had 14 points (one goal and 13 assists), averaging 0.5 points per game.

Through 63 games this year, he has 22 points (six goals and 16 assists), averaging about 0.35 points per game. This could be a sophomore slump in some form or a struggle with a new coach, but, either way, Neal Pionk needs to find a way to step up his offensive play in order to become a staple on this team and develop as a well-rounded defenseman.

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