Former University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey standout defenseman and current Winnipeg Jet Neal Pionk is one of 44 players that has been invited to attend U.S. Men's Olympic Orientation Camp that runs Aug. 26-27 in Plymouth, Mich.


A native of Hermantown, Minn., Pionk spent two seasons with the Bulldogs (2015-16 and 2016-17), and was signed by the New York Rangers as an undrafted college free agent May 1, 2017 after his second season. As a sophomore, Pionk established career bests in virtually every statistical category and ranked fifth among all NCAA defensemen in both points (34) and plus-minus rating ( 24) and fourth in assists (27). He also racked up a personal-best seven goals en route to attaining All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference Second Team recognition. Notably, six of Pionk's points over the 2016-17 campaign came during UMD's eight-game postseason run (which included a berth in the NCAA national title game) and he was chosen to both the 2017 NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team and the 2017 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team.


Pionk skated in all 82 games over his Bulldog tenure, and had 11 goals and 40 assists for 51 points and a plus-35 rating to show for it. A two-time NCHC All-Academic Team pick, he was the recipient of the Jerry Chumola Award (UMD's Rookie of the Year) following his debut season.

The Jets acquired Pionk and a first-round pick in a 2019 trade, and just this April, he signed a six-year extension with Winnipeg after recording 10 goals and 29 assists in 69 games with the Presidents' Trophy-winning squad this season, averaging 22:04 of ice time per contest.
 

Pionk is the older brother of current Bulldog junior defenseman Aaron Pionk.


The last UMD player to make a an Olympic team was Noah Cates, who earned a sport on the 2022 U.S. Men's Ice Hockey Olympic Team.


The two-day camp gathering is largely an administrative and team-building event and includes no formal on-ice activity or public component.

USA Hockey earlier this summer announced the first six members of the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team in forwards Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./Vegas Golden Knights/Boston University), Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz./Toronto Maple Leafs), Brady Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Ottawa Senators/Boston University) and Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Florida Panthers), along with defenseman Quinn Hughes (Canton, Mich./Vancouver Canucks/University of Michigan) and Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y./Boston Bruins/Boston University). The final 25-man roster is expected to be announced in early January.


To view the complete camp roster, click here.