There is only one restricted free agent on the Ottawa Senators’ roster and the team is looking to shed money to make room for young forward Shane Pinto. While trade rumours have emerged from Ottawa, one saying that the Philadelphia Flyers would be willing to help the Senators in a salary dump if it means giving up forward Mathieu Joseph (who carries a $2.95 million salary for the next three years), Pierre LeBrun claims things are more complicated that just making room for Pinto in Ottawa. On Insider Trading on TSN on Tuesday night, LeBrun explained how the Senators do need more cap space to sign Pinto, who for now refused to settle for a qualifying offer, but talks still need to happen to get an agreement.
“The Senators still have to move money to be able to accommodate a new contract for Shane Pinto, who’s not going to sign a qualifying offer. At least that’s his stance right now. So, they got to make room and Mathieu Joseph’s name has been out there. The Senators are trying to create cap room, but in the meantime, it’s not like there’s an extension sitting on the table and they just need to move money. Shane Pinto’s agent – I believe – still has some negotiating to do here with Pierre Dorion, the GM of the Ottawa Senators. I think that Pinto probably would sign something in the neighbourhood of $2.5 million per year over two years. Whether or not that’s something the Senators can live with remains to be seen. So, still work to be done there.”
And so it’s not just a simple question of making room for the kid. It’s also about offering him what he seeks, that needs to make sense for Pinto and Ottawa.
Pinto is coming off his first full season in the NHL, in which he posted 20 goals and 35 points in 82 games and could be traded for high-end prospects that could crack the roster this season.
At the start of training camp last week, GM Pierre Dorion commented on Pinto’s contract stalemated: “Hope to have him in camp as soon as we can.”
I bet the fanbase in Ottawa does too...
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