Senators Sign Shane Pinto Ahead Of Season Debut

It was known that the Ottawa Senators were nearing an agreement with Shane Pinto as his 41-game suspension was ending. He is available for the Senators' game on Sunday, Jan. 21, and has now signed a one-year deal with a cap hit of $775,000 AAV.

Shane Pinto signs a one-year deal with the #sens worth $775,000.

He's eligible to rejoin the lineup on Sunday after serving a 41-game suspension for violating the NHL's sports wagering rules.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 19, 2024

While there were rumors that the contract could be a one-year, two-year, four-year, five-year, or six-year, it seems like he needs to prove himself after all this time off to earn a larger contract and the team doesn't have the space to make a larger signing right now. If Pinto were to have signed for multiple years, the AAV would have gone up to the point where the Senators would have had to deal someone in the next couple of days.

This way, Pinto has half a season to prove that he can produce at a rate he did last season. The Senators have a talented forward group, but the team is once again underachieving and sits last place in the Eastern Conference. Albeit with games in hand, it will take a lot for them to catch up.

Pinto will likely have a larger role after the trade deadline as players like Vladimir Tarasenko and Dominik Kubalik will likely be traded. Pinto is an important piece of the future in Ottawa and with a full season in the lineup next season, might be able to help change the fortunes of the team. It seems like something will be worked out longer-term after the season.