Shawn Pinto Shares His Feelings As His 41-Game Suspension Comes To An End

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Hunter Bowman
January 12, 2024 (8:56 PM)

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This summer dealt the Ottawa Senators a tough blow with a 41-game suspension handed down to young forward Shane Pinto. Now, Pinto is back on the ice with his teammates, eager to put the suspension behind him.

Expressing his excitement, Pinto shared with reporters in Ottawa on Friday,

"I don't want to get too emotional, but it's awesome. It's been a long road for me."

With just 99 games in his career before the suspension, the 23-year-old, who tallied a career-high 35 points last season, is ready to regain a consistent role on the team.

Opening up about the suspension, Pinto took responsibility, saying,

"It broke my heart, honestly. I care about this game so much. I put so much time and effort into it. To get it taken away from you for that long, it's tough to hear. You're kind of in shock at first."

Acknowledging the need for caution and maturity, Pinto added, "I got to realize what position I'm in. There is always going to be a microscope on professional athletes. I took that for granted, and I got to be better about it. Life can change in an instant. I learned that pretty quick."

Now, with his focus on hockey and the Senators, Pinto assured that he had learned his lesson, emphasizing that such activities won't be part of his future.

Source: Houseofhockey