In this edition of the Ottawa Senators News & Rumors, we look at Rourke Chartier leaving North America and signing a contract elsewhere, Shane Pinto sheds some light on his 41-game suspension for gambling-related reasons, and Claude Giroux talks about where he stands with a contract extension.
Chartier Heads to KHL
After three seasons in the Senators organization and six professional seasons under his belt, Chartier is leaving North America and joining Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The China-based KHL team announced the signing on July 18, and he will look to get a bigger opportunity in that league.
There was some reason to believe he would return to the Senators with the departures of some regular fourth-line players like Mark Kastelic and Parker Kelly, and he could have challenged for a full-time spot for this upcoming season. Chartier played 37 games for the Senators last season, and while he wasn’t a game-breaking player, he was a defensively responsible shut-down player.
Shane Pinto’s Suspension
After almost a full year after the suspension was handed out, the public is finally getting some information on why Pinto was suspended for 41 games to start last season. There was plenty of speculation, but none came from a reputable source and seemed to just be small pieces of information getting passed around, Pinto confirmed that it was a case of proxy betting and a friend of his using his sportsbook account to place bets.
In an interview on the Empty Netters podcast, Pinto said “I had my buddies, because I was in Canada, just place bets for me in America. I wasn’t a Canadian citizen so I couldn’t really use a Canadian sportsbook. That’s proxy betting, so that’s obviously a big no-no. It was an illegal act so, obviously, it was a pretty big deal.”
Pinto added that with it being such a big issue, there wasn’t much pushback from him or his agents to fight the suspension, and he accepted it.
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Pinto received a phone call around the beginning of September and was told the league wanted to ask him some questions about something, but it wasn’t until two weeks into the season in late October that the suspension was announced. Pinto said he was already feeling frustrated with his contract situation and missing that time, and then with the suspension on top of that, he was just relieved to have a good final 41 games of the season.
Giroux Hasn’t Thought About Extension
Giroux is entering the last season of his three-year deal and is currently eligible for an extension. With the first two years not going as well as Giroux and the team may have hoped, people are wondering what his thoughts are. Does Giroux want to stay in Ottawa moving forward, or does he want to chase a Stanley Cup as his career winds down?
On the Coming In Hot podcast, Giroux joined and was asked if there is going to be a potential contract extension. Giroux told them that he hadn’t thought about it yet. He then added that he hasn’t talked to his wife, agent, or Steve Staios about it yet and that it isn’t something he is worried about right now.
Giroux did mention that what is at the forefront of his mind is having a strong season and helping the Senators reach the playoffs. At 36 years old, Giroux had a strong 64-point season, but that landed 15 points lower than his total in his first year with Ottawa. Whether you want to point at the age, the team regressing, or any other factors, Giroux’s 64 points, strong two-way game, and leadership are things that make for a strong season.
Giroux signed in Ottawa because it was his hometown, but also because of the opportunity to be one of the core members on the team at this point in his career. It was clear that when he signed this three-year deal he wasn’t looking to be a depth option or passenger on a Cup-winning team, he wanted to make an impact and be an important member of the team.
The fact that there has been no contract conversation isn’t a concern for his future in Ottawa. It makes sense for both Giroux and the team to hold off and re-evaluate down the road. If the Senators don’t take any kind of step forward, there isn’t much incentive for Giroux to want to stay, but if they do and he has a great year, there is a good chance he gets locked up to finish out his career with the Senators.
