The NHL has suspended Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto for 41 games for violating the NHL’s gambling rules. While what rules were broken is not clear or public information at this time, the NHL is not accusing Pinto of gambling on NHL games, per Elliotte Friedman.
The investigation was initiated in the summer, but Friedman reported that it gained speed over the past few weeks. The Senators put a halt to contract negotiations and Friedman also mentioned that Pinto had not requested a trade during the negotiations in part because the Senators kept this a quiet matter until the conclusion of the investigation.
Friedman also confirmed that Pinto’s suspension began with the start of the Senators’ season, meaning he will be eligible to return, assuming he is signed, for the Jan. 21 game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Putting Pieces Together on Pinto
The NHL released the following statement on the suspension:
The National Hockey League announced today that it has suspended NHL Player Shane Pinto for 41 games for activates relating to sports wagering.
The League’s investigation found no evidence that Pinto made any wagers on NHL games.
The NHL considers this matter closed, absent the emergence of new information, and will have no further comment.
@PR_NHL on X
This leaves us with a lot of questions.
On Oct. 22, during an intermission of the Senators game, Bruce Garrioch reported that the Pinto situation would get some clarity in the coming days, but that he didn’t believe that a contract would be the resolution. He wasn’t wrong, but nobody could have predicted this. His wording made it sound like a trade was coming.
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The Senators also released a statement saying they support Pinto and will work with him and the league to get him back in action.
Pinto added his own statement:
I want to apologize to the National Hockey League, the Ottawa Senators, my teammates, the fans and city of Ottawa and most importantly, my family. I take full responsibility for my actions and look forward to getting back on the ice with my team.
– Shane Pinto, Senators Media Release
The Senators have a 3-3-0 record to start the season, and while there have been plenty of positives and negatives to take away, there was a lot of hope that Pinto would return sooner rather than later to give the team a boost. That won’t happen now.
Senators head coach DJ Smith stated that he and the team will welcome Pinto back with support and open arms once the suspension is served. The NHLPA was working with the NHL on what they believed was a fair punishment. The 41-game suspension was handed out, but the NHLPA may still be in a position to appeal the decision.
This is the first suspension the NHL has handed out for gambling.
The league advertises gambling, including on the helmet of the Senators, and they are not accusing Pinto of betting on NHL games. Between Friedman and other reports, it’s possible that he was gambling inside a Senators facility, which is prohibited by the NHL (and other leagues).
Typically, restricted free agents (RFA) must sign a contract by Dec. 1 to be able to play that season. This rule is not applicable to Pinto who is a Group 2 RFA, and he will be able to sign and play at the end of his suspension.
We are waiting for more details to come out, but this is the information we have available at this time.