by The NHL is suspending Senators center Shane Pinto 41 games for activities related to sports betting, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday morning. Pinto becomes the first player in NHL history to be suspended in connection with sports gambling.
The league began to investigate Pinto over the summer, and the investigation picked up over the past few weeks, according to Friedman. It’s unknown exactly what rules Pinto violated, but the league hasn’t specifically accused him of betting on NHL games, Friedman added.
Ottawa selected Pinto in the first round of the 2019 NHL draft, and the 22-year-old is playing in his fourth season with the team. After appearing in just 17 combined games over his first two seasons, Pinto played in all 82 games last year, recording 20 goals and 15 assists for the Senators.
The NHL reportedly is suspending Senators center Shane Pinto for sports gambling activities.
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This season, Pinto has yet to play in a game as he remains an unsigned restricted free agent, the only remaining unsigned RFA in the league. He and the team haven’t been able to find common ground on a new contract. Meantime, Pinto hasn’t signed his qualifying offer, and Ottawa hasn’t found a suitable trade partner, either.
Despite Pinto’s unsigned status, his suspension began with Ottawa’s first game of the season, according to Friedman.
