NHL Trade Rumors: Shane Pinto linked to Presidents' Trophy cursed team from last season

The NHL offseason is often rife with trade speculations, and one name that has recently surfaced in trade talks is that of Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto. The 22-year-old restricted free agent finds himself at the center of contract negotiations with the Senators, but a significant gap in their discussions has piqued the interest of other NHL teams.

The Ottawa Senators are facing salary cap constraints for the upcoming season, which has prompted them to explore potential trade options for Pinto. Within the organization, there is a belief that their prospect center, Ridly Greig, may possess equal or even greater talent than Pinto, adding an intriguing twist to the situation.

NHL insider Jimmy Murphy has raised the possibility of the Boston Bruins entering the mix for Shane Pinto. However, the acquisition of Pinto may come at a considerable cost for the Bruins. Reports suggest that the Senators are seeking promising prospects who could potentially bolster their roster for the upcoming season, with Fabian Lysell and Johnny Beecher being mentioned as potential targets.

Shane Pinto, in his first three NHL seasons, has shown promise by scoring 21 goals and tallying 43 total points in 99 games played. He was originally drafted by the Senators as the 32nd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

The NHL offseason always brings its share of surprises, and Pinto's future destination remains one of the intriguing storylines for now.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman's opinion on Shane Pinto

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed Pinto's contract situation, suggesting that it won't be easy to sign him for less than $1 million.

“Well, look, I think that if that was easy to do, I think it would be done already. So that says to me that they’re not going to be doing it for under a $1 million."

"Look, I think, I think Shane Pinto is the kind of player, I don’t think he’s signing for $895,000 as you have on the board right there."

Friedman believes Pinto, who scored 20 goals, deserves a higher salary and is comparable to players who have signed for more.

"He’s a guy who scored 20 goals. He’s definitely worth a bigger number than that. And if you take a look at some of the contracts that have been signed somewhere, his comparables, he’s very comparable to some players who signed for higher numbers."

He also mentioned that Ottawa might need to make moves to free up salary cap space and offer Pinto a contract closer to the $2.5 million range.