Tragic news: Ottawa Senators greatest-known player faces a six-month suspension after it has been demonstrated that he had an.

Tragic news: Ottawa Senators greatest-known player faces a six-month suspension after it has been demonstrated that he had an

The NHL said on Thursday that forward Shane Pinto has been suspended for 41 games for his involvement in sports betting.

The NHL said it found no proof Pinto wagered on NHL games, but it withheld the specifics of his offense, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported earlier on Thursday.

According to Bruce Garricoh, a writer for the Ottawa Sun, Pinto’s online gambling account in the United States was alerted for anomalous activity by a corporation that works with the NHL.

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According to Friedman, the league had a hearing on the subject a few weeks ago, which prompted an expansion of the inquiry that began somewhere in the summer. During a brief installment of According to Friedman, who spoke on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, he thinks the process picked up steam when Pinto moved back home after leaving the Ottawa region, where fans had seen him skating alone. In retrospect, it seems strange that Pinto left Ottawa given the rumors circulating at the time that Ottawa was phoning teams to clear cap space in order to sign Pinto, who is still without a contract for this season, with Mathieu Joseph presumably being moved elsewhere.

Friedman stated on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, “Suddenly it became clear to everyone involved here that there was something the NHL was investigating and it was serious enough that I believe everyone was just told to hang on.”

Friedman claims that the league mailed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who is authorized to “discipline individuals determined to have engaged in improper gambling activities,” according to a memo sent in March 2022 to league and team personnel. This could involve fining the offending party, canceling any contracts they may have, or expelling them from the league for a set period of time.

The Senators released a statement on Thursday stating, “Shane is a valued member of our hockey club; an engaging, intelligent young man who made poor decisions that have resulted in a suspension by the National Hockey League.” “We are aware of his regret for his errors.”

Pinto, 22, recently finished his rookie season with the Senators with 20 goals and 35 points. It seemed to be the only thing delaying a contract renewal for a while.

was the reality that Ottawa’s available cap space was less than $50,000.

In the previously mentioned release, Pinto issued a statement that said, “I want to apologize to the National Hockey League, the Ottawa Senators, my teammates, the fans, the city of Ottawa and most importantly, my family.” “I am fully accountable for my actions, and I am excited to rejoin my team on the ice.”

The details of Pinto’s activities may not become clear for some time, but it is important to remember that other professional leagues, such as the NFL, have punished players for placing bets on games in other leagues. For instance, guard Nicholas Petit-Fere of the Tennessee Titans was suspended for six games in June after he made a legitimate wager at the team’s facility—a blatant disregard for NFL regulations.

Presumably, if Pinto had placed a real wager on an NHL game, he would have been hit with a considerably heavier fine. Calvin Ridley, a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, received a one-year suspension in 2022 for his NFL wagering.

Billy Taylor, Don Gallinger, and Babe Pratt were the final NHL players to receive gambling suspensions in the 1940s.