HERMANTOWN — Former Minnesota Duluth defenseman Neal Pionk of Hermantown is among
by USA Hockey to this month’s U.S. Men’s Olympic Orientation camp in preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
One of 15 defensemen invited to the camp, Pionk is entering his ninth NHL season — and sixth with the Winnipeg Jets — in 2025-26 since leaving the Bulldogs following a sophomore year that culminated in a loss to Denver in the 2017 NCAA championship game in Chicago.
In 2024-25, Pionk matched his NHL career high of 10 goals during the regular season despite playing in just 69 games, while his 39 total points is his second-most in eight NHL seasons. He added another goal and six assists in last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Jets signed Pionk, 30, to a six-year, $42 million contract extension
in the spring that keeps the former Hermantown Hawk with Winnipeg through the 2030-31 season.
Pionk has represented the United States in two other international competitions, winning gold at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge and bronze at the 2018 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
The U.S. Olympic orientation camp will take place Aug. 26-27 at the home of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan.
Six of the 44 invitees have already been announced as members
of the 25-man 2026 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team — Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy.
The camp includes five Olympians and 12 players from the U.S. squad that won gold at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship in May, plus all 23 from the U.S. Men’s National Team that competed in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
According to USA Hockey, the event is “largely an administrative and team-building event and includes no formal on-ice activity or public component.” Players do not have to attend this month’s camp to be eligible for the final Olympic roster.
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