Senators Must Find Room for Shane Pinto's Contract Amid Islanders Buzz, NHL Rumors

Shane Pinto continues to be the talk of the Ottawa Senators as the start of the 2023-24 NHL season draws near, thanks in large part to a lack of a new contract for the restricted free agent and very real questions about the team's ability to give him what he wants.

Dave Pagnotta told NHL Network Radio that the Senators have approximately $1.7 million in salary cap space but Pinto has been consistently looking for $2.5, meaning one of two things: either Pinto signs for less than he wants or the team will have to make a roster move or two to free up the money necessary to ensure the depth of their roster at the center position.

With Josh Norris fighting an injury that will keep him out of Wednesday's opener against Carolina, per Ian Mendes of The Athletic, Pinto's value to the team would appear to be higher than it has been.

Given the fact that he is a a young center at just 22 years of age, with plenty of upside and potential, said value was already high to begin with. That he knows the system and could benefit the team without Norris available only makes him more so.

That does not mean the team is not willing to listen to offers for the young player.

While insider Elliott Friedman does not believe Pinto will be dealt, he admitted on the 32 Thoughts podcast that he would not be surprised if the Islanders express interest. "But it wouldn't surprise me if the Islanders were one of the teams kicking the tires there. That's where he's from, they'd like that," (h/t Michael Stahurski of Eyes on Islanders for the transcription).

The Islanders realistically have nothing of value to offer the Senators outside of draft picks and giving those up for a player who has shown flashes of stardom but not enough to justify mortgaging the long-term future of the organization would be a mistake, no matter how close he grew up to the team's stadium.

Friedman went on to suggest that the Senators and Pinto have both given a bit and are not willing to give any more, despite being relatively close on a deal, resulting in the standstill the sides find themselves in right now.

With the uncertainty surrounding Norris, and the potential Pinto has shown as a raw, net-attacking center, it is time for the sides to work out their differences. The Senators must show good faith, find a way to make the numbers work, and bring Pinto back into the fold.

Simply put, the Senators have not been nearly good enough to warrant playing hardball and can use all the help they can get in pursuit of their first postseason appearance since 2017. If they lose out on Pinto, and he goes on to be a star for another organization because of a dispute over $800,000, the team will have no one to blame but itself.