The Senators and Shane Pinto were trying to work out a new contract before the center suited up for the United States at the Worlds, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. However, there seems to be a sizable gap in negotiations. Garrioch adds that both sides are interested in working out a longer-term agreement (five or six years) but there’s a big gap in the money. Pinto’s camp is reportedly seeking around $5MM per season on a deal like that while Ottawa is coming in considerably lower.
The 23-year-old missed the first half of the season after being suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy which resulted in him accepting a contract for the pro-rated league minimum of $775K upon his return. Pinto wound up being productive for the Sens down the stretch, notching nine goals and 18 assists while logging over 18 minutes a night, solid second-line numbers. Pinto isn’t yet arbitration-eligible so it’s possible that these talks could drag out as they did a year ago before the suspension came down.
More on Ottawa from Garrioch:
- The Senators shopped goaltender Joonas Korpisalo at the trade deadline but unsurprisingly, there wasn’t any interest. It was a rough first year in Ottawa for the 30-year-old who posted a 3.27 GAA and a .890 SV% in 55 games, hardly the return they were hoping for after giving him a five-year, $20MM contract back in July. Considering how the season went, a trade seems unlikely without them either retaining money or adding a sweetener so it might be easier for them to move the final year and $2.75MM of Anton Forsberg’s contract.
- Garrioch added that Ottawa kicked the tires on acquiring Linus Ullmark from the Bruins at the trade deadline. It’s widely believed that Boston will ultimately move Ullmark over the summer so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the teams rekindle discussions on that front in the coming weeks. Ullmark has one year left on his contract which carries a $5MM price tag and had a 2.57 GAA with a .915 SV% in 40 games this season after taking home the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23.
- Defenseman Artem Zub is believed to be a possible trade target this summer according to Garrioch. The 28-year-old has been a steady presence in their top four in recent years and is coming off a career-best 25 points in 69 games. Signed at a $4.6MM price tag through 2026-27, he’d make sense as a trade target for several teams if GM Steve Staios opts to shake up his back end without moving his top pieces.
Remember that Ullmark has a 15-team no-trade clause. Ottawa could be on his no-trade list. Even if Ullmark is willing to go to Ottawa, the Bruins may not want to trade him within the division. The return would have to be really good for them to keep Ullmark in the division.
It’s been reported that there teams on the west coast his family lives in Buffalo so he wants to be close to that
Now Pinto is exactly the kind of player Trotz should look into.
@Gbear — Offer sheet him for $4MM maybe? Enough for the Sens to grind their teeth a bit, but not Kotkaniemi-level $$$. I’d have more faith that Pinto would live up to his contract number more than the Canes faint hope that KK would be worth more than a plug nickel.
@Mac – Dundon sure taught the Habs a lesson by prying KK away from them, lol! :D
I wonder what the package would look like for Ullmark it should be a first and a prospect probably in the top 10-15 rankings