Shane Pinto

May 2023 – Pinto had an excellent rookie season after missing most of the 2021-2022 season with a shoulder injury. He finished with 20 goals and 15 assists in 82 games on 158 shots on goal and was healthy. Unlike most young centers, he did well in the faceoff circle at 52.1 percent and was consistent throughout the year with 10 goals and 17 points in the first half and 10 goals and 18 points in the second. At 99 career NHL games, Pinto will graduate very early next season. Grant Campbell

October 2022 – Pinto has been one of the standouts during the pre-season for the Senators. In his first four games, he had four goals and three assists and appears to be a lock for the third line as the regular season approaches. Grant Campbell

April 2022 – Pinto made the Senators out of training camp this season and managed four games before injuring his right shoulder, which forced him to miss nine games. He came back and re-injured it in his first game. He had shoulder surgery in November 2021 and is expected to be out for four to six months which is the regular season. An unfortunate event for Pinto who was hoping to make inroads into becoming a regular in the NHL. Grant Campbell

October 2020 – The University of North Dakota standout had as good a season as anyone could have hoped last year. He took the step to college in stride, producing at a very good rate and earning some accolades along the way. He should be over a point-per-game with the team this upcoming year but the COVID-19 pandemic will keep things in limbo. He will almost certainly spend this year at UND and will decide on his future after the season, likely spending at least one more year in school after that. Tony Ferrari

March 2020 – The NCHC announced their awards for the season with the COVID-19 virus forcing the cancellation of the rest of the college season and Pinto was named the NCHC Rookie of the Year. He had an impressive freshman season tallying 16 goals and 28 points in 33 games for the University of North Dakota. His selection came into question at the time of the draft last June but he has done more than enough to ease the worries of the Senators’ fanbase. Tony Ferrari

February 2020 – Pinto was on a nine-game point streak up until this past weekend when he was thrown from the game just over three minutes in for a hit from behind. While his season has been outstanding to this point, this was his second game-misconduct for hitting from behind. If he gets another, he will have to serve an automatic one-game suspension which would put a damper on a stellar season by the 2019 second-rounder. Tony Ferrari

January 2020 – Shane Pinto was among the most impactful forwards for the Americans at the World Junior Championships. He finished with four goals and three assists over just five games. While the U.S. team finished a disappointing sixth at the event, Pinto was among the few players that didn’t disappoint. Given top-line duty from the start helped Pinto show that he could be a difference-maker. Pinto was particularly strong against the eventual gold medalist, Canada, where he had a goal and two assists. He also scored right as time expired in the second period which would have helped turn the game on its head had the Americans tied the game at that point. Pinto was a surprise performer, originally expected to be a role player for the Americans, he finished second in scoring for the U.S. squad that was loaded on paper prior to the tournament. Pinto’s strong play should continue as he takes the momentum from the World Juniors back to the University of North Dakota where he has been impressive as a freshman. Tony Ferrari

December 2019 – Pinto has made it past the latest round of cuts to the American World Junior team. He looks primed to play a good role with U.S. squad with the possibility of secondary power playtime as well. He’s has a good start to his NCAA season, exceeding expectations at times which has fueled his rise among the stacked group that the American’s will bring to the Czech Republic. Pinto may not be the primary offensive threat on this team but he will be among the best depth scorers at the tournament. Tony Ferrari

November 2019 – The 2019 second-round pick has started strong for the University of North Dakota. He has five points in seven games with the NCAA program, currently tied for third on the team in scoring. His strong play has helped UND to a top-10 spot in the national rankings. Pinto’s selection may have been maligned on draft day due to some of the other available talent, but he’s been solid so far this season, showing good growth and development to start the season.

August 2019 – Selected with the top pick in the second round of the 2019 draft, Pinto projects as a reliable middle-six center. His skating is a bit of a concern when it comes to some of the finer points with his edge work and quick lateral movements but he has been able to get to his spots. Pinto’s shot is his biggest offensive weapon but he possesses an underrated ability to find his teammates in the offensive zone. Work ethic isn’t an issue for the responsible center who always seems to be in the right spot. Pinto has a pro-ready frame making the transition from the USHL’s Tri-City Storm to the University of North Dakota seamless. Pinto’s choice to go to the NCAA will allow him to utilize the college facilities in order to continue to get stronger and work on his skating. His production at the NCAA level could come quicker than most freshman because of his excellent ability as a net front presence on a power play. Tony Ferrari