TSN: Dave Poulin was on TSN Radio and was asked about the likelihood of Pinto being traded and he believes that Pinto will be a member of the Ottawa Senators and not the one being shipped out.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Host: “I’m trying to think of new ways to ask the same kind of questions. So, this is my latest, Pouli on this. The longer the Shane Pinto situation goes here, is there a chance that there are certain players on the team because everybody can add and do the math here. You wonder, is it going to be me that’s going and that can linger with a player in the back of their mind the longer this goes? An existing player that’s, that’s with the Senators right now.”
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Dave Poulin: “Well, you know, you don’t like the thought of that. But actually, it makes more sense because you’re playing yourself into that. Like, who’s you know, who’s having a tough start out of the gate? Who’s not you know, doing it and who might not be a fit here is more apparent than trying to guess that before the season starts.
So the longer it goes, I would expect the play to determine that rather than the thought process of who fits from a dollar standpoint. So, yeah, you’re looking around and it’s inevitable they’re bringing Shane Pinto back at some point and the team is gonna change at some point and if you really like it here, you better be the guy that isn’t changed.
Host 2: “You believe it’s 100% that somebody’s moving out and Pinto’s coming in or is there in your mind, any percentage chance that Pinto could be the one that’s just traded?”
Poulin: “Boy that’s really low on my bingo card?
Host: “Me too.”
Poulin: “Really low. Really low. No, I don’t see that as a scenario because if you’re doing that, what would the options be? Are you going, if you’re bringing an established player, there’s money involved, and I’m not trading Shane Pinto for futures. There’s no way you know, I’m a team that wants to roll now. Not only is he, not futures, he’s a present-day player that’s still a reasonable salary that unfortunately you can’t afford right now.
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But that’s not, that’s not in my scenario at all. At all. I just dismissed that. If you come in, I like the fact that you walk into my office JR, and you say that, I do. I’m not, I don’t take offense at all if I’m the boss, and I push you in every way to get your reasoning and your thinking and how you think that works. Because you’d have to convince me, and I would welcome the difference in thought, that’s not my thought at all.”