What a difference a year can make.
This time last year, Shane Pinto had a couple of things on his mind, and neither of them was helping him prepare for his role as a star centre for the Ottawa Senators.
The 2023-24 NHL season was underway, and Pinto was still on the sidelines, entering his fifth month of waiting for a new contract from the team. To make matters worse, the NHL suspended Pinto for 41 games for “activities relating to sports wagering.” For the record, the league’s investigation found zero evidence that Pinto bet on NHL games, and the Senators supported him every step of the way.
Now, one year later, that’s all ancient history.
In July, Pinto signed his first big NHL contract—a two-year, $7.5 million deal—and followed it up with a full training camp and pre-season alongside his teammates. That’s quite a contrast to last year when Pinto missed training camp and didn’t play until January.
This season, almost as a signal of how well-prepared he is, Pinto had a hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens in the Sens’ final pre-season game.
With the 2024-25 regular season now underway, the sky’s the limit for Pinto, who turns 24 today. He’s on track to be a major contributor, both offensively and defensively, and as a teammate, Pinto radiates positive energy, always smiling, and seems like someone who simply cannot wait for his next chance to laugh.
On the eve of the regular season, Faces had the opportunity to talk with Pinto about his journey to this point and his hopes for the new hockey season.
I’m guessing it’s safe to say the start of this season has been like night and day compared to last year?
“Yeah, definitely. Last year was obviously filled with a lot of emotion and distractions. This year, it’s just regular hockey again—no distractions, just playing the game. Definitely, this one’s better than last year.”
How was the off-season?
I think I had a productive summer, just working out and getting my body ready. Having a normal pre-season is nice to slowly build up my game and prepare for the regular season. As the pre-season went on, it got better and better. So, yeah, I’m happy with where I’m at.
It’s amazing to see you at the NHL level. I don’t imagine there are many players in the league who took up hockey as late as you did.
Yeah, my dad put me into football and baseball growing up. My town was mainly a football town, so that’s all we knew—football in the fall and baseball in the summer. At ten years old, my dad’s friend suggested we try hockey. I liked it a bit, but I didn’t really take it seriously until I was about 14 or 15. Once I got to prep school, I quit the other sports, and it just kind of took off from there. It’s wild how it worked out.
How did you catch up with the kids who had been playing at the top level for ten years longer than you?
I didn’t even think about any of that. I didn’t know any better. I was just playing, trying to get better every day. I didn’t really realize what was going on, and I think that was a good thing. My parents didn’t know much about it either; they just listened to some people and tried to guide me the best they could.
Tell us about your hometown of Franklin Square, New York.
I loved it. It provided me with an athletic background. I played a lot of football and baseball growing up. It wasn’t too hockey-driven, but I think that’s a good thing—it helped me become a better hockey player by being a good athlete first. It was a great place to grow up, and a lot of my good buddies are still back there.
Who do you thank most for helping you get to the NHL?
For me, it’s an easy question: it’s my parents (Frank and Catherine). When you’re younger, you don’t realize how much they sacrifice. As you get older, you start to understand how much they did for you, how much money they spent on me, and all the travel. They sacrificed a lot to put me in a good place, and I’m really thankful for them. They know that, but yeah, definitely my parents.
Your older sister, Brianna, was a fine athlete as well, right?
Yeah, she played softball at Fordham University in the Bronx. She’s a very good athlete—probably better than me. Growing up, that motivated me to be a better athlete because she was always more athletic than I was. She played Division I softball and has a school record in stolen bases. She was a very good athlete for sure.
Back to the Senators, there can’t be many teams in NHL history with four players who went to the same university. You, Jake Sanderson, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Tyler Kleven were all at North Dakota together.
Yeah, it’s unheard of. I don’t think people realize it, but having three guys on the back end from the same team is pretty crazy. They’re obviously my good buddies, and we grew up together in North Dakota. I don’t take it for granted. Last year, we were in and out, but this is the first year we’re all in the Senators lineup at the same time. I think it’s super special and a credit to North Dakota and what kind of university it is.
What kinds of things do you like to do when you’re away from the rink?
Basically, I just hang out with my dog. I have a French bulldog that I got last year, so I just chill with him.
What’s his name?
Jett. I just hang out with him, walk him, and play with him. That’s all I really do. I also play some video games with my buddies back home—college football or NHL, so I’ll play that a little bit.
What’s the story on the new mustache? Is that the new look, full-time?
We’re going to take it one week at a time.
Have you given it a name?
No [laughs]. I’m not naming it yet. We’ll see how the first couple of games go. If they go well, I’ll keep it. If not, I’ll probably shave it off.
Finally, as we speak here on the eve of the regular season, what are your expectations for the Senators this season?
I know everyone talks about our additions—the veteran leadership and our core getting a little older. I think we’re maturing a bit more. I have a good feeling about it. Obviously, we need to start strong, but in my opinion, we have enough to be a playoff team and make some noise. But it’s up to us—no excuses anymore. Everyone’s in the lineup and healthy. Plus, we’ve got Linus Ullmark now, which is a huge addition. I think we need to make the playoffs, and hopefully, we can do that.
After overcoming last year’s challenges, including a suspension and contract uncertainty, Shane Pinto looks every bit like a man ready to make his mark in the NHL.
