TSN: Bruce Garrioch on the fallout of Shane Pinto‘s 41-game suspension, what it means for his future, and how some things may play out.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Claire Hanna: “Why Bruce, is Shane Pinto being suspended?”
Garrioch: “Well, Claire if he’d been found guilty of betting on National Hockey League games, then he would have been kicked out for life. But clearly the NHL in its thorough investigation of this matter, found something that they didn’t like about Shane Pinto and the situation that he put himself in.
My belief is one of the league’s betting partners reached out to the National Hockey League to say, you know what, we’ve noticed some unusual activity on Shane Pinto’s online betting account. They didn’t like what was happening there. There may have been a third party involved. And that’s maybe why Shane Pinto only got 41 games.”
NHL News: NHL Suspends Shane Pinto For 41 Games For Sports Gambling
Hanna: “Now it was around October 10th that Shane Pinto was in Ottawa, as there were rumors that he was getting close to signing a contract with the Senators, but then he left Ottawa, he went back to Long Island.
Was his departure related to this suspension?”
Garrioch: “Oh, absolutely. 100%. It had everything to do with that, with this upcoming suspension, and the investigation that was taking place at the NHL headquarters in New York on his betting activity. I think Shane Pinto left town because he had questions to answer.
I think he met face-to-face with Gary Bettman. And Gary Bettman know, let him know that no matter what happened here, he was going to throw the book at him and make it very, very difficult for him, with a very long suspension. I think that Shane Pinto very close to signing a two-year deal with this team. I don’t see that as being even possible right now.”
Hanna: “Now the Senators are in Long Island to face the Islanders, which is the home of Shane Pinto. And for a long time, this was about cap space and the Senators not having enough room to sign Shane Pinto. But how will this suspension affect his contract moving forward?
Garrioch: “Well, that’s the unfortunate part. Shane Pinto, but the situation is that Shane Pinto and Pierre Dorian were close on a two-year deal that would have got him back in here. And he was also going to make a trade to clear some cap space. That never happened.
And as a result, Shane Pinto will likely have to come, for lack of a better word, crawling back to the Senators, sign a one-year deal. Hope he can get in here in mid-January and skating with the team.
NHL Rumors: What Will Shane Pinto’s Next Contract Look Like Now?
My belief right now is he will go skate with his former college team at the University of North Dakota. He’s got a lot on his plate right now. He’s going to have to spend some time in the American Hockey League before he even dreams of suiting up for another game with the Ottawa Senators. Quite frankly, Claire, this could derail his career.
Hanna: “And Shane Pinto won’t be eligible to play for the Ottawa Senators until January 21, against the Flyers.