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Rangers Sign College Free Agent Neal Pionk

Larry Greenfield

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Larry Greenfield is a former proprietary trader whose career experience includes 16 years as a desk leader with New York's OPUS Trading. Outside of his professional pursuits, Larry Greenfield is a passionate fan of the National Hockey League's (NHL) New York Rangers.

The Rangers were still playing in the second round of the NHL playoffs in early May, but Jeff Gorton, the team's general manager was already looking toward the future. Gorton agreed to terms on an entry-level contract with University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) defenseman Neal Pionk. Several teams were interested in the college free agent, but he chose the Rangers. It's the second year in a row in which New York landed a high-profile player fresh out of college – last year the team won the Jimmy Vesey sweepstakes.

Listed at 5-foot-11, Pionk recorded 34 points in 42 games for UMD last season and finished fourth on the team in scoring. He was easily the team's top-scoring defenseman as he had 17 more points than Willie Raskob, who finished second on the team in scoring among blueliners. Prior to joining UMD in 2015, Pionk played three seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League.