During Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets fans grew concerned only minutes into the game when Neal Pionk left the ice and did not return. After the game, the Jets announced that Pionk is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will undergo further evaluation on Monday. 

He exited just over two minutes into the first period after delivering a fairly routine check in the Jets’ zone on Minnesota’s Danila Yurov. Pionk skated away from the play with a pained expression while bent over and holding his right knee. The sequence was not particularly intense, which made the injury seem unusual.

Pionk was sidelined earlier this year in March with a separate undisclosed lower-body injury that kept him out for a month before he returned in mid-April. The hope is that he has not aggravated that issue, especially since he plays a key role on the Jets’ blue line in the second pairing with Dylan Samberg, who has only recently returned from injury himself.

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

It is still unclear who would replace Pionk if he cannot travel with the Jets for their upcoming three-game road trip that begins Wednesday in Washington. If Pionk is cleared to play, the team likely will not make any roster adjustments. If there is any uncertainty regarding his availability, a call-up on Monday seems very likely. 

The most probable candidate for the call is Kale Clague, a former NHL defenseman with the Buffalo Sabres, although he would probably see limited ice time. In that scenario, Luke Schenn and Colin Miller would both enter the lineup rather than continuing to rotate into the third pairing with Logan Stanley.

Pionk has been steady this season, recording one goal and two assists over his past five games. Overall, the 33-year-old Omaha, Nebraska native has five points in 21 games and is on pace for a 20-point campaign. His track record of reaching at least 30 points in six straight seasons suggests he is likely to find his rhythm as the season progresses.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.