The Winnipeg Jets and restricted free agent blue-liner Neal Pionk avoided arbitration and settled on a four-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The deal carries an average annual value of $5.875 million.

Pionk signed a two-year, $6-million contract in 2019 after joining the Jets in a trade from the New York Rangers. Winnipeg also recouped a first-round pick in the deal that sent Jacob Trouba the other way.

The 26-year-old has emerged as a key piece on the Jets' back end. Pionk has logged over 20 minutes per night in each of his two seasons in Winnipeg and recorded 32 points across 54 games in 2020-21.

The Jets have made an effort to revamp their defense corps this offseason, bringing in veterans Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillion.

With Pionk signed, forward Andrew Copp is the only player on Winnipeg's books needing a new deal.

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