NHL Rumors: Shane Pinto's camp annoyed by lack of extension talks from Senators

Shane Pinto is currently unsigned for the upcoming season, and his camp is annoyed by the lack of negotiation with the Ottawa Senators.

Pinto is one of two RFAs who are not signed, and with the NHL season starting next week, whether or not he will get a deal done before the season starts is uncertain.

Ottawa is currently right up against the salary cap, so reports have said that the Senators are trying to make a trade to create room.

The Athletic's Ian Mendes claims that there is growing frustration with Pinto's camp as they haven't gotten a new offer:

"Pinto’s agent Lewis Gross has declined to comment to The Athletic while negotiations are ongoing, but there has to be a growing sense of frustration and anger from the Pinto camp. The Senators have had more than five months since last season concluded to get Pinto locked into a new contract."

Mendes claimed that Pinto received a one-year, $1 million deal from the Ottawa Senators for this season, which wasn't accepted.

As of right now, it's uncertain what type of salary or contract length Shane Pinto is looking to get. But, Senators GM Pierre Dorion said to the media he is working hard on getting something done with Pinto:

“Obviously, our fans want Shane here. We want Shane here. The players want Shane here. We’re really working hard at it. We know he’s an important part of our team. And we hope he joins us in the very near future.”

As of right now, the Ottawa Senators have just over $120,000 in cap space, according to CapFriendly, which makes signing Pinto impossible until another move is made.

Shane Pinto's NHL career

Shane Pinto was drafted 32nd overall in 2019 by the Ottawa Senators.

He went on to play two years at North Dakota State and made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 NHL season. He only skated in 12 games in his first season and recorded just seven points, including one goal.

In his sophomore year, Pinto missed nearly the entire 2021–22 season due to injuries. In his fifth game, Pinto injured his shoulder and missed several games, and after trying to return, he underwent surgery to end his season.

Last season, Shane Pinto played his first full season as he skated in all 82 games. In his first full NHL season, Pinto recorded 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points.