Pionk joins motoring Morrissey, sniper Stanley Jets’ blue-liners heating up at the right time, adding danger to the defence By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 5:56 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025

A backdoor redirect from Josh Morrissey. A perfectly executed one-timer by Neal Pionk. A laser beam from Logan Stanley to the top corner.

Don’t overlook the fact that three of the goals scored by the Winnipeg Jets in Tuesday’s dominant 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets came from defencemen — an important development that will serve the team well if they can maintain it.

“It makes you multi-dimensional,” Jets assistant coach Davis Payne said Wednesday of getting offence from the defence.

“I think when you look around the league it’s a really important part of rush play, it’s a really important part of O-zone play, to create numbers with a five-man attack. And that’s exactly where those guys come from and add to and it’s something we want to build on.”

The Jets had just six goals from their blue-liners through the first 18 games, putting them on pace for their lowest single-season output since the 2021–22 campaign when they finished with 24.

You may recall then-head coach Rick Bowness making it a top priority to raise that number, stressing that the modern game requires a five-man attack. The Jets responded in a big way the following year, producing 46 goals from defencemen — one of the best totals in the league.

That number dropped to 30 in Scott Arniel’s first year at the helm (2023-24), then climbed to 38 last season. Now, with nine goals in 19 games following Tuesday’s performance, the Jets are back on pace for 38.

“Teams in this league, they track so darn hard and they play with numbers in their own zone so tight that if you’re not equalizing your opportunity with that five-man attack and using your D and having them become part of the options, it’s really tough to create offence,” said Payne.

It’s no surprise to see Morrissey leading the way, now with four goals on the year. He might just challenge the career high of 16 set in that 2022-23 campaign. But how about the fact Stanley, whose previous career high was one goal — hilariously set five times over the past five seasons — is already up to three?

“Things are going well right now and I am playing with confidence and trying to build every day,” said Stanley, whose nine overall points have him second among all Winnipeg defencemen (Morrissey has 21) and sixth-overall in team scoring.

“If you are not improving, you are probably not going to last too long. I’m just trying to get better every day and stay consistent with it.”

“If you are not improving, you are probably not going to last too long.”

Stanley, the 18th-overall pick in the 2016 draft who stands a towering six-foot-seven, set a career-high 14 points last season. At this pace, he might surpass that by Christmas. His latest tally came off a slick drop pass from Mark Scheifele, who jumped into his arms during the celebration.

“He probably felt like I was a little baby,” joked Scheifele. “I was obviously very pumped for him. He can rip it when he wants to. That was a snipe. I thought he’s been absolutely fantastic for us all season. He’s looking to just get better and better.”

Pionk, meanwhile, was glad to get the proverbial monkey off his back, scoring his first goal of the season after matching his career-high 10 goals last year. His power-play shot through traffic, following a nice give-and-go with winger Gustav Nyquist, proved to be the game-winner.

“That happens as a defenceman when you get good looks, whether it’s from deep or whether you’re walking in the slot, and sometimes they don’t go in. It’s the way it works,” said Pionk.

“That’s always been kind of part of my game is helping out the offence. So we say it all the time, the forwards can’t do it themselves. They can’t be a three-man unit. It’s got to be five man. So not only is that defensively, but that’s also offensively, too. We got to help them out. We got to create motion and create some space for them.”

Dylan DeMelo has the other Jets goal from a blue-liner this year, while Dylan Samberg (who missed the first 16 games with injury), Luke Schenn, Colin Miller and Haydn Fleury (currently in concussion protocol) are still looking to light the lamp for the first time.

Pionk, who had just three assists through his first 18 games before adding a goal and assist against Columbus, is thrilled to have Samberg back as his blue-line partner. The two Minnesota products train together every summer and clearly bring out the best in one another.

“We create that chemistry, and we build on that chemistry in the summer and, unfortunately, we live on the same lake, too, so it’s almost too close,” Pionk said with a laugh.

“We just work on little things Like the little game situations, whether it’s a fake shot, whether it’s making cleaner passes, reads that we can make together, D to D, back to D, stuff like that. And we challenge each other. Like he’s also challenging me, and it’s a good relationship we have in the summer.”

“We challenge each other. Like he’s also challenging me.”

Of course, assists can be just as big as goals, and the Jets are getting plenty of help from the back-end with a total of 36 helpers so far. Morrissey’s 17 apples are tied for eighth overall in the NHL and rank third amongst defencemen behind only Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, who both have 19.

Winnipeg’s 45 points from the blue-line this year has them just inside the top 10 of the NHL right now, with Makar’s Colorado Avalanche leading the way with 57. That has the Jets on track to eclipse last year’s total of 179 points over 82 games.

“When your D can add offence from that back end, it makes you that much more dangerous,” Arniel said following Tuesday’s triumph, which improved his team’s record to 12-7-0.

The Jets return to action on Friday night when they host old friend Nikolaj Ehlers and the high-flying Carolina Hurricanes. There could be plenty of five-man attacks going back-and-forth in that one.

“They’re always one of the fastest teams, one of the hardest working teams, well coached, detailed, throw a lot of pucks to the net so they’re always a challenge to play, and should be a fun one,” said Pionk.

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