Former Minnesota Wilderness defenseman Aaron Pionk today got the news every young hockey player dreams of. The 20-year-old from Hermantown was selected in the fifth round, 149th overall, of the NHL draft by the Minnesota Wild on Thursday afternoon.
Pionk began his junior career with the Wilderness. He spent the end of the 20-21 and the entirety of the 2021-22 seasons with the Cloquet-based NAHL franchise. With the Wilderness, he played 62 games, including one game in the 2022 playoffs. In his NAHL career, Pionk, who stands at 6-foot-1, 172 pounds, produced 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points.
Prior to joining the Wilderness, Pionk played with Hermantown High School, where he skated as a forward with the Hawks for three seasons. He spent 2022-23 with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL, where he was named to the league’s second all-star team after playing 60 games, scoring 12 goals and adding 24 assists for 36 points.
The Wild will have to wait until Pionk completes his college career before turning professional. Pionk has committed to play NCAA hockey with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and will be on the Bulldogs roster beginning this Fall.
When he does begin his pro career, Pionk will become the third member of his family to play pro hockey. Aaron’s brother Neal, currently skates with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, while another brother, Nate, spent this past season with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. The hockey mad family has one more member involved in the professional ranks, with a third brother, Joe Pionk, currently serving as the assistant equipment manager for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.