Ottawa Senators
Senators Shane Pinto’s Only Need This Season? Consistency
After being injured last season, the Ottawa Senators’ Shane Pinto started strong this season. How has he done since his torrid start?
The Ottawa Senators Shane Pinto has had an up-and-down 2022-23 season. But in truth, it’s been mostly up. What a different story than last season.
Pinto missed nearly the entire 2021-22 campaign with a shoulder injury, but this season he’s showing what he can do when he’s healthy.
Pinto was chosen by the Senators as the first pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately, he skated in only five games last season and registered just a single assist in those games. However, unless there’s a setback this season; and, if Pinto can go on a bit of a run, he could get some consideration for the NHL’s Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie.
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Pinto Starts the 2022-23 Season on a Torrid Pace
Pinto scored his first goal of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 16. That power-play goal came in his season’s second game. It didn’t take Pinto long to score his second goal. That came in his third game of the season against the Boston Bruins.
In his very next game, he added a goal and an assist as the Senators beat the Arizona Coyotes. It was the fourth game in a row where he had scored a goal and he was up to five points. Pinto made that five games in a row with a goal against the Dallas Stars on October 24.

He was off to an incredible start on the season with a five-game goal-scoring streak. He was held off the scoresheet for the Senators’ first regular-season game, but he hadn’t missed since. He had six points in his first six games.
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Pinto Suffers His First of Several 2022-23 Goal-Scoring Droughts
Pinto scored again against the Florida Panthers on October 29 but then went quiet for a stretch. But he showed up again on November 10 with two goals against the New Jersey Devils.
Even after his four-game goal-scoring drought, after the Devils’ game, Pinto was then tied with Matty Beniers and Matias Maccelli for the lead in the NHL’s rookie scoring. All three rookies had registered nine points, but Pinto’s eight goals (with one assist) pushed him to the rookie goal-scoring leadership. [Pinto now ranks sixth in NHL rookie points.]
Again Pinto went on another goal-scoring drought. But after eight games without a goal, he scored in the Senators’ 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers on November 30.
Then Pinto went cold for another eight games. He didn’t score another goal until December 14 in a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens. And that’s where he stands today as his team emerges from the Christmas break.
Pinto’s 2022-23 Season Summary
The 22-year-old Pinto started the season on a strong run by scoring six goals and seven points in his first eight games. However, with all its ups, the season has also had some downs. He hasn’t been able to hit the Senators’ scoresheet in back-to-back games since October 24.

Still, the Senators are seeing Pinto as a player with a huge upside. Pinto’s work ethic has always been present and he’s been productive on the power play this season with five points. He also has two game-winning goals to his credit.
On the season, Pinto has scored 10 goals and added six assists (for 16 points) in 33 games. That’s about a 25-goal pace for the season. If Pinto can score 25 goals, that would be a huge benefit for the Senators not only for this season but potentially for seasons to come.
It’s been a tough season in many ways for the talented young forward, but he’s also shown great promise. Now, there’s some consistency to work on.
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