Shane Pinto is the solution to the Ottawa Senators’ Josh Norris problem

Credit: (Photo by Steven Ellis)

What is it with Ottawa Senators’ centermen and shoulder injuries?

Shane Pinto missed all but five games in 2021-22 after requiring surgery following a faceoff gone wrong. Then, five games into 2022-23, Josh Norris was injured following a faceoff and is expected to miss most – if not the rest – of the season.

It’s Groundhog Day in Kanata.

Given that the Sens haven’t had starting goaltender Cam Talbot at any point this year, and Norris had missed a game and a half already, it’s incredible that the team got off to a 4-2 start to the season. They had a four-game win streak ahead of a tilt with a Minnesota Wild team that has had its own ups and downs this season. Ottawa dropped that game to fall to 4-3.

Now that Norris’ prognosis is a bit clearer – and by that, we’re talking calamitous – the Senators need to address a significant loss in the lineup while the season is still fresh.

According to CapFriendly, the Senators have $4.113 million in projected cap space, giving them a little wiggle room to make a move. Once Norris is put on LTIR, that’ll clear up around $7 million.

But, hear me out: maybe the team doesn’t need to move assets to fill the gap. Maybe Pinto has that covered himself.

Pinto has five goals and six points in seven games with the Senators while playing on the team’s third line. And that’s working alongside Tyler Motte and Mathieu Joseph. So think about the impact he’d have with Claude Giroux – one of the best playmakers of his time – and Alex DeBrincat, a pure goal-scorer. Tim Stutzle is the No. 1 center, but Pinto can easily be the No. 2 guy.

Coach D.J. Smith might not want to shake up the third line, especially with how it’s thriving. That’s fair – Motte, in particular, has been a big beneficiary of Pinto’s services. With the way he’s playing, he’s not your average third-line center, but that’s an incredible position for the Senators to be in. If Pinto isn’t the answer, Giroux could always move back to center. But it would be interesting to see what Pinto can do in an elevated role.

In the short term, Derick Brassard has filled Norris’ role on the second line, scoring in his season debut against Dallas. He has averaged 16 minutes a night in both games he has played so far, which, after acting as a depth player around the league over the past six years, likely won’t last. He gave the team a nice jump against Dallas, but it’s not likely a long-term solution.

Pinto is a much better player than Brassard at this stage of their careers and would do a much better job in that spot. But you also don’t want to break what’s working. And if the third line is thriving, maybe it’ll remain untouched. But it feels like a missed opportunity if they don’t at least try moving Pinto up.

The Sens have options and time to decide how to replace Norris. If they think they can make the playoffs, they’ll want to find a proper replacement. Maybe it means promoting Ridly Greig from the Belleville Senators – he’s certainly capable of taking the next step. Maybe it means looking outward. The bottom line, though, is building without sacrificing the future.

Regardless of where Pinto plays, you want him to stay comfortable and keep scoring. He’s off to a great start with a league-leading 38.5 shooting percentage. It’s absurd and not sustainable, but you want to ride the wave as long as possible. According to Natural Stat Trick, Pinto also leads all players with at least three games with three goals per 60.

At this point, 30-40 goals are a possibility, especially with a high margin for error based on his current output. Pinto also has a faceoff percentage of 59.1, which can come in handy in tight games.

Pinto is averaging just 14:49 of ice time a game – ninth among Senators forwards. Norris was playing 18 minutes a night, so there’s some space to fill. Pinto is already producing in his sheltered minutes, so imagine what happens with a promotion.

The Senators have solid center depth, making the Norris injury less devastating than it could have been. If, when everyone is healthy, Shane Pinto is your third-line center, you’re in a fantastic spot. And after missing most of 2021-22, he’s flying high and emerging as an early favorite for the Calder Trophy. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract and he’ll look to wring every dollar he can out of Pierre Dorion and Co. Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle Drake Batherson and Thomas Chabot are signed long-term, so Pinto is next. Whether he lands in long-term territory or bridge-deal territory might depend on his performance over the rest of this season.

It’s still early days, but the Sens must be thrilled with Pinto’s development. With a new opportunity on the horizon, let’s see just how far he can go.

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Shane Pinto is the solution to the Ottawa Senators’ Josh Norris problem

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