The Winnipeg Jets welcomed back a veteran to their blue line.
Defenceman Neal Pionk was been activated from injured reserve on Saturday in time for the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 30-year-old had been sidelined since mid-January due to a lower-body injury, forcing him to miss 28 games this season.
Pionk returns to the lineup having posted two goals, eight assists and a minus-one mark between his previous 40 appearances through 2025-26. He last played on Jan. 13, posting an assist in a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders through 20 minutes of ice time.
The long-term injury has resulted in an outlier season for the nine-year veteran, as he’s played at least 65 games in six of his first eight NHL seasons — averaging 72.5 appearances per year as a member of the Jets entering 2025-26.
Pionk has 264 career points (46 goals, 218 assists) through his nine seasons in the pros, split between the New York Rangers and Winnipeg.
The Jets visit the Penguins with hopes of snapping a two-game skid.
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