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Shane Pinto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shane Pinto
Pinto with the Ottawa Senators in 2023
Born (2000-11-12) November 12, 2000 (age 25)
Franklin Square, New York, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Right
NHL team Ottawa Senators
National team  United States
NHL draft 32nd overall, 2019
Ottawa Senators
Playing career 2021–present

Shane Pinto (born November 12, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey player who is a center for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 32nd overall by the Senators, the first pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL entry draft.

Early life

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Pinto was born November 12, 2000, in Franklin Square, New York.[1] He grew up in an athletic household: his father Frank grew up playing baseball, while his mother Catherine and older sister Brianna both played softball.[2][3] Pinto began ice skating at the age of seven and joined his first organized hockey team two years later, but he preferred baseball and American football to ice hockey.[3][4] He did not decide to focus on hockey until the age of 14, when Pinto suffered a clavicle fracture during football practice that left him temporarily unable to play another sport.[3]

Pinto spent most of his minor ice hockey career with the Brooklyn Aviators, a second-tier team in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL).[5] At the age of 12, he helped lead his Aviators team to a state championship.[6] After two years at H. Frank Carey Junior-Senior High School in Franklin Square, Pinto left for South Kent School in Connecticut to further his ice hockey career. In his final season there, he recorded 34 goals and 31 assists for 65 points in 54 games and was part of the 2018 USA Hockey National Championship team.[7][8]

Playing career

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Junior

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After the 2016–17 season, Pinto was drafted in the 21st round, 330th overall, by the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL).[4] He then joined the USHL for the 2018–19 regular season where he quickly began producing for the Stars. Through his first 30 games in the league, Pinto tallied 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points while also leading all rookies with six power play goals. In January 2019, Pinto was traded to the Tri-City Storm in exchange for Michael Colella, a 2019 third-round Phase II draft pick, a 2020 second-round Phase II draft pick, and future considerations.[9] The Storm earned the second Anderson Cup in franchise history after setting a new record for wins and qualified for the playoffs. They advanced to the Western Conference Finals where they were eliminated by the Sioux Falls Stampede.[10] In six playoff games, he tallied five goals and nine points.[11] Pinto was named to the USHL all-rookie first team in 2019 after leading all first-year players with 59 points in 59 games.[12]

Collegiate

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Pinto committed to playing the 2019–20 season with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and was considered the top recruit for that year's incoming freshman class.[13] In his first season he recorded 16 goals and 28 points in 33 games.[11] However, the season was ended on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] In the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, he marked 15 goals and 32 points in 28 games.[11] North Dakota won the Penrose Cup as champions of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) in his sophomore season and advanced to the 2021 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament.[15] They were eliminated by the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the regional round, in the longest game in tournament history, going to five overtime periods.[16] After the season, Pinto was named the NCHC's first unanimous Player of the Year, also the first in the team's history. He was also named the NCHC's Forward of the Year, Defensive Forward of the Year and to the All-Conference First All-Star Team.[17]

Professional

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Pinto was selected by the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the second round, 32nd overall, of the 2019 NHL entry draft. During his first development camp with the Senators, Pinto impressed scouts with his play. Pinto concluded his collegiate career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators on April 1, 2021.[18] After undergoing the mandatory quarantining period,[18] Pinto made his NHL debut late in the 2020–21 season and scored his first goal on May 5, 2021, against the Montreal Canadiens against Jake Allen.[19] He finished the season tallying one goal and six assists.[11] Pinto later participated in rookie camp a few months later in September, where he was appointed team captain for one game.[20] Pinto missed nearly the entire 2021–22 season due to injuries. During his fourth game of the year, he was hit into the boards by Mario Ferraro of the San Jose Sharks and left with a shoulder injury. He attempted to return nine games later against the Pittsburgh Penguins but re-injured the same shoulder while taking a faceoff. He ended up having surgery and missed the rest of the year.[21] He recorded one assist in five games that season.[11] Pinto recovered on time to start the 2022–23 season and got off to a hot start. In October he was named the NHL's rookie of the month after scoring six goals in eight games.[22] He finished the season with 20 goals and 35 points in 82 games.[23]

As a restricted free agent, a contract dispute led Pinto to miss the entire 2023 training camp and the first weeks of the 2023–24 season.[24] On October 26, 2023, the NHL suspended Pinto 41 games for violating the league's rules on sports gambling. Although the NHL indicated that no evidence was found on him of wagering on NHL games, the suspension (one of the longest in league history), was the result of a negotiation between Pinto, the NHL Players' Association, and the league, and was not the result of a formal disciplinary process; Pinto subsequently released a statement apologizing for his infraction.[25][26] Pinto had been under investigation since the early summer, after an NHL betting partner had flagged issues with Pinto's account details with the league, and Pinto had also been reported to have had connections with a third-party proxy bettor.[26] As a result of the suspension, Pinto was not allowed to return to the Senators' lineup until January 21, 2024.[27] On January 19, 2024, Pinto signed a one-year contract with the Senators.[28] He returned to the Senators lineup on January 21 against the Philadelphia Flyers and picked up his first point of the season in a 5–3 victory for Ottawa.[29] He tallied a three-point game on February 10, scoring once and assisting on two others by Ridly Greig and Vladimir Tarasenko in a 5–3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.[30] On March 27, he marked a four-point game, scoring once and assisting on goals by Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk, and Jakob Chychrun in a 6–2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.[31]

In the 2024–25 season he mostly saw time on the team's third line alongside Michael Amadio and Greig, often matched against the opponent's top line.[32] The line was often Ottawa's most consistent during the season and on December 21, 2024, he recorded a three-point game, scoring twice and assisting on another by Jake Sanderson in a 5–4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.[33][34] In 70 games, he tallied 21 goals and 37 points.[11] The Senators qualified for the playoffs and faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round. Pinto made his NHL playoff debut in Game 1 on April 20, 2025, and recorded his first playoff point when assisted on Greig's goal in the 6–2 loss.[35] He scored his first NHL playoff goal in Game 4 on April 26, a shorthanded effort in a 4–3 victory.[36] The Senators, however, were eliminated in six games in their best-of-seven series.[37] In the six games, Pinto tallied one goal and two points.[11]

Pinto was again centering the third line with Amadio and now Claude Giroux on his wings for the 2025–26 season.[38] He opened the season with a three-point effort, scoring twice and assisting on Giroux's game-winning goal in a 5–4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 9.[39] On November 13, he signed a four-year, $30 million extension with the Ottawa Senators.[40] On March 7, he marked another three-point night, scoring once and assisting on goals by Amadio and Tyler Kleven in a 7–4 win over the Seattle Kraken.[41] In 72 games, he scored 23 goals and 46 points.[11] The Senators made the playoffs again, but were swept in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes.[42] Pinto went scoreless in the four games.[11]

International play

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Medal record
Representing  United States
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2025 Sweden/Denmark

Pinto was named to the United States men's national junior ice hockey team for the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[43] Pinto enjoyed early success for the team, being named the player of the game for the opening game of the tournament against Canada men's national junior ice hockey team after scoring two goals and getting an assist.[44]

Pinto represented the United States at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded two goals and eight assists in eight games and helped Team USA win their first gold medal since 1933.[45]

Personal life

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Pinto is a golf aficionado who has played on the Bethpage Black Course.[46] Growing up in New York, Pinto was a childhood fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, crediting Sidney Crosby and the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals as inspiration for his ice hockey career.[5][46]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2018–19 Lincoln Stars USHL 30 17 15 32 51 — — — — —
2018–19 Tri-City Storm USHL 26 11 16 27 12 — — — — —
2019–20 University of North Dakota NCHC 33 16 12 28 46 — — — — —
2020–21 University of North Dakota NCHC 28 15 17 32 4 — — — — —
2020–21 Ottawa Senators NHL 12 1 6 7 10 — — — — —
2021–22 Ottawa Senators NHL 5 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
2022–23 Ottawa Senators NHL 82 20 15 35 18 — — — — —
2023–24 Ottawa Senators NHL 41 9 18 27 14 — — — — —
2024–25 Ottawa Senators NHL 70 21 16 37 26 6 1 1 2 2
2025–26 Ottawa Senators NHL 72 23 23 46 42 4 0 0 0 2
NHL totals 282 74 79 153 112 10 1 1 2 4

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2018 United States WJAC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 1 1 2 4
2020 United States WJC 6th 5 4 3 7 2
2024 United States WC 5th 8 2 7 9 6
2025 United States WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 8 2 8 10 2
Junior totals 11 5 4 9 6
Senior totals 16 4 15 19 8

Awards and honors

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Award Year Ref
College
All-NCHC First Team 2020–21 [47]
AHCA West First Team All-American 2020–21 [48]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Shane Pinto Stats and News". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Garrioch, Bruce (April 3, 2021). "Shane Pinto is ready to make the next step to the Ottawa Senators once quarantine comes to an end". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Mendes, Ian (February 22, 2023). "How Shane Pinto's family sparked his unlikely rise to the NHL". The Athletic. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Gray, Tim (October 18, 2018). "Stars' Pinto now loving hockey after late start to the sport". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Scanlan, Wayne (September 15, 2021). "Pinto ready to take his best shot at Senators camp after unique road to NHL". Sportsnet. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  6. ^ "Aviator hockey star Shane Pinto drafted to the NHL". Aviator Sports and Events Center. June 26, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Rubin, Roger (April 17, 2021). "Long Island's Shane Pinto: Center of attention for NHL debut with Senators". Newsday. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  8. ^ "South Kent Alumnus Shane Pinto '18 Excels Again!". South Kent School. April 8, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "Storm Acquire Forward Shane Pinto in Trade with Lincoln". Tri-City Storm. January 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2022 – via Our Sports Central.
  10. ^ Brown, Nate (May 13, 2019). "Memorable season for Storm leaves a lasting mark". Nebraska TV. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Shane Pinto". hockeydb.com. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  12. ^ "USHL All-Rookie Teams Announced". United States Hockey League. April 23, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  13. ^ "North Dakota announces six newcomers to 2019–20 roster". The Mighty 790 KFGO. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019.
  14. ^ "NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships". National Collegiate Athletic Association. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  15. ^ "North Dakota Wins Fourth Penrose Cup, Defeats Omaha 7-1". University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks. February 20, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  16. ^ "UMD beats North Dakota in 5th OT to win longest hockey game in NCAA tournament history". CBC News. Associated Press. March 28, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  17. ^ Schlossman, Brad Elliott (March 11, 2021). "Shane Pinto is NCHC's first unanimous Player of the Year". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  18. ^ a b "Ottawa Senators sign forward Shane Pinto to entry-level contract". Ottawa Senators. April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021 – via NHL.com.
  19. ^ Tidcombe, Matt (May 5, 2021). "Pinto scores first NHL goal as Sens beat Canadiens". Ottawa Senators. Retrieved September 23, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  20. ^ Tidcombe, Matt (September 19, 2021). "Pinto wears 'C' during rookie game". Ottawa Senators. Retrieved September 23, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  21. ^ Tidcombe, Matt (November 30, 2021). "Pinto out for foreseeable future with shoulder injury". Ottawa Senators. Retrieved November 25, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  22. ^ Schlossman, Brad Elliott (November 2, 2022). "Shane Pinto named NHL's Rookie of the Month". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  23. ^ Fraser, Callum (September 20, 2023). "Senators optimistic they'll sign Pinto to contract soon". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  24. ^ Richardson, Lyle (October 19, 2023). "Shane Pinto's Contract Saga Drags on in Ottawa". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  25. ^ Friedman, Elliotte (October 26, 2023). "Senators' Pinto to be suspended 41 games for violating NHL gambling rules". Sportsnet. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  26. ^ a b Johnson, Chris (October 27, 2023). "Johnston: What I'm hearing about the Shane Pinto suspension and what comes next". The Athletic. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  27. ^ Garrioch, Bruce (October 26, 2023). "Garrioch: Senators centre Shane Pinto suspended for gambling violations". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  28. ^ "Senators sign Shane Pinto to one-year contract after gambling suspension". Sportsnet. Associated Press. January 19, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  29. ^ Garrioch, Bruce (January 21, 2024). "Shane Pinto makes his presence felt in his return to Ottawa Senators". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  30. ^ "Senators hold off Maple Leafs, win 3rd straight". NHL.com. National Hockey League. February 10, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  31. ^ "Senators score 5 in 1st, cruise past Sabres". NHL.com. National Hockey League. March 27, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  32. ^ Wilimek, Andrew (October 22, 2025). "Beneath the surface: The many sides of Michael Amadio". Ottawa Senators. Retrieved May 4, 2026 – via NHL.com.
  33. ^ Maguire, Pat (May 2, 2025). "Eight Positive Takeaways From The Ottawa Senators 2024-25 Season". The Hockey News. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  34. ^ Woodley, Kevin (December 22, 2024). "Sanderson OT goal lifts Senators past Canucks for 6th straight win". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  35. ^ McCarthy, Dave (April 20, 2025). "Marner has 3 points, Maple Leafs ease past Senators in Game 1". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  36. ^ Fraser, Callum (April 26, 2025). "Sanderson's goal in OT gives Senators Game 4 win against Maple Leafs". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  37. ^ "Nylander scores twice as Maple Leafs eliminate Senators to advance to second round". TSN. The Canadian Press. May 1, 2025. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  38. ^ Adams, Alex (November 24, 2025). "Senators' third line throwing opposition for a loop with scoring prowess". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  39. ^ Long, Corey (October 9, 2025). "Pinto's late goal lifts Senators past Lightning". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  40. ^ "Senators, Pinto reach four-year, $30M extension". TSN. November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  41. ^ Brown, Darren (March 8, 2026). "Pinto has 3 points, Senators cruise past Kraken". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  42. ^ "Hurricanes sweep Senators to become first team to advance". ESPN. April 25, 2026. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  43. ^ "2020 U.S. National Junior Team Roster Announced". Team USA Hockey. December 23, 2019.
  44. ^ "Canada vs. USA: 2020 prospect Alexis Lafreniere dazzles as Canada defeats rival at 2020 World Juniors". The Sporting News. August 12, 2021.
  45. ^ Zaccardi, Nick (May 25, 2025). "U.S. men's hockey team wins first standalone world championship since 1933". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  46. ^ a b Pam, Murray (June 27, 2019). "SN Q&A: Senators' prospect Shane Pinto on being drafted, his late start to competitive hockey and the USHL". The Sporting News. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  47. ^ "North Dakota Paces 2020-21 NCHC All-Conference Teams". nchchockey.com. March 8, 2021. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  48. ^ "Boston College, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin lead way with three All-American college hockey players apiece for '20-21 season". USCHO.com. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
[edit]
Awards and achievements
Preceded by NCHC Rookie of the Year
2019–20 		Succeeded by
Preceded by NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year
2020–21 		Succeeded by
Preceded by NCHC Forward of the Year
2020–21 		Succeeded by
Preceded by NCHC Player of the Year
2020–21 		Succeeded by
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