"Bro's gonna have PTSD putting on the bet365 sponsored helmet": NHL fans react as Shane Pinto inks new contract with Senators

The Ottawa Senators' recent announcement of Shane Pinto's new one-year contract worth an AAV of $775,000 received a flurry of reactions on social media.

Pinto faced a 41-game suspension due to sports betting involvement and is set to return to the ice on January 21, 2024.

One fan sarcastically commented,

“Bros gonna have ptsd putting on the bet365 sponsored helmet.”

This comment is a hilarious take on Pinto's situation, as Ottawa used to have a betting company sponsor its helmet.

Pinto was suspended because the NHL’s regulations forbid players from being involved in sports gambling. The league investigation did not uncover proof of Pinto betting on NHL games specifically. However, his participation in sports betting overall violated the policy.

Pinto has played 99 games in three seasons, contributing 21 goals and 22 assists in his NHL career, resulting in 43 points.

Here are some fan reactions on Pinto’s return to Senators:

Pinto's suspension will end after the game against Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. He will have the opportunity to rejoin the team and play against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.

His performance post-return will be crucial in determining his contract extension.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Dally addresses Shane Pinto's betting suspension

Bill Daly, the Deputy Commissioner of the NHL, provided his insights in an interview with The Athletic. He spoke on the league's position and the consequences of Shane Pinto’s suspension.

"To the extent people are saying that nobody knows what the rules are," Faly said, "I told them why that shouldn’t be the case. In the sense of all the training we do and what the players are told repeatedly," Daly said.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in the NHL clearly states that hockey players are not allowed to participate in gambling. Daly emphasized teams must remain alert and take steps to prevent activities such as proxy betting.

"There’s a couple of specific rules in our governing documents (the CBA, the league constitution and the by-laws) that say what you can’t do," Daly said.