Pionk embarrassed by Jets' performance this season

Neal Pionk was blunt while assessing the Winnipeg Jets' disappointing performance in this campaign.

"Let's be honest, it was kind of embarrassing what we did this (season)," the defenseman said Tuesday, according to the Winnipeg Free Press' Mike McIntyre. "We had a really good roster and totally underachieved."

"When I look in the mirror, I'm embarrassed. I don't think I played as best as I could all (season)," Pionk continued. "I think if everyone goes into the summer and does that self-evaluation and we all come back, it'll be a lot better."

The Jets will miss this year's playoffs despite boasting a roster featuring potent scorer Kyle Connor, dependable veteran forwards Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Paul Stastny, younger impact players like Nikolaj Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois, and 2019-20 Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in goal.

Winnipeg is only four campaigns removed from reaching the Western Conference Final, and the team made the postseason in each of the three subsequent years before missing out in 2021-22. The club advanced to the second round last year, sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in their first-round series.

Pionk posted career highs in his first season with the Jets in 2019-20, putting up 45 points and averaging 23:23 of ice time. However, he's produced only 66 points in total since then, and his average ice time has decreased to 21:13 in 2021-22.

The Nebraska-born blue-liner also has a subpar 47.13 expected goals for percentage at five-on-five this season, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Jets ranked 17th as a team in the same category entering Tuesday's action.

Winnipeg sits in sixth place in the Central Division at 36-32-11.

Copyright (C) 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.