Report: Senators Low-Ball Shane Pinto With Offer

The Shane Pinto RFA situation continues to drag on in Ottawa, and things even took a turn for the worse this week, according to a new report by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.

The gulf between the Ottawa Senators and restricted free agent Shane Pinto widened this week. According to several sources, the player was disappointed with a recent offer in the one-year, $1M range.

That's a far cry from the $2.5M range that Pinto is thought to seek on a short-term (two years, perhaps?) contract.

The problem for the Senators, of course, is that they simply don't have the cap room to make Pinto that offer right now. Everyone knows it, and when new owner Michael Andlauer addressed the media at the beginning of the week, he flat-out stated, "We have a problem signing Shane Pinto because we are at the cap. At the end of the day, it's about sustainability and making sure we have enough money in the coffers to pay our players and making sure we're sustainable."

The Sens are trying to move another contract to make room, and per Friedman, they feel they'll be able to do that—IF and only if they come to terms with Pinto on a deal first.

But right now, the sides aren't even close. Some observers speculate that a trade of Pinto might even be the answer, but the player and the Senators both want to stay together. Somehow.

Fans and followers are just as frustrated as Pinto. And they just can't fathom how the Sens even got into this mess.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more pro-player in a contract negotiation than I am with Shane Pinto.

It’s completely insulting that the team basically doesn’t have room for him.

The boys all got paid. He’s asking for completely fair market value. Figure it out. #Sens
— Jack Richardson (@jackrichrdson) September 30, 2023