"The Parlay Papi himself!" - NHL fans react as Shane Pinto returns to ice as 41-game gambling suspension nears its end

Ottawa Senators fans rejoiced as center Shane Pinto took the ice for practice today, signaling his return after a 41-game suspension for sports gambling.

Pinto was suspended back on October 26th, 2023, becoming the first player to receive such a lengthy suspension for gambling-related activities.

"The Parlay Papi himself!" – One fan reacts to Shane Pinto's return.

The 22-year-old Pinto is now gearing up to play officially on January 21st, when his suspension concludes. Pinto's suspension came as a result of the NHL's strict rules prohibiting any player’s association with sports gambling.

While the league's investigation found no evidence of Pinto betting on NHL games specifically, his overall sports betting participation violated the policy.

Pinto’s return has sparked plenty of reactions on social media. Here are some fan reactions:

Bill Dally clarifies Shane Pinto's suspension

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly shared his insight on the league’s stance and implications of Shane Pinto’s suspension with The Athletic.

"To the extent people are saying that nobody knows what the rules are, 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 NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) explicitly prohibits hockey players from engaging in any form of gambling. This rule highlights the importance of respecting and adhering to these boundaries.

Daly stressed the significance of teams being vigilant and taking measures to prevent activities like proxy betting. He also expressed:

"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."

Fans will be thrilled to see Shane Pinto hitting the ice again and stay away from any future violations.