Shane Pinto signed a four-year, $30 million contract with the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. It has an average annual value of $7.5 million and begins next season.
The forward, who turned 25 on Wednesday, could have become a restricted free agent after this season.
"It's awesome," Pinto said. "I think we've been building something pretty cool the last few years here and just for them to show the commitment to me that I'm part of the core, it's awesome. I'm just super grateful and just happy to be here, for sure.
"I just kind of want to see where it's at when I'm 29 and I just felt like it was just a good deal for both sides. And I think those are a good part of my career. Hopefully 25 to 29, hopefully I have some good years and that's just the number I came up with."
Pinto has 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 17 games and 121 points (59 goals, 62 assists) in 221 regular-season games since joining the Senators in 2020-21. He had two points (one goal, one assist) in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, a six-game loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2025 Eastern Conference First Round.
"It's a great day for the organization," Senators general manager Steve Staios said. :He's a very important player for us and continues to grow and get better and I think credit to both sides. You get in these good long dialogs, but through the season, it could become a distraction, and now we're happy to get it done. We think it was a fair deal for both sides. I think the term allows some flexibility on both sides, and this group has an opportunity now with where we are with our contracts and they continue to make strides in the right direction and Shane's an important piece."
Pinto, chosen by Ottawa in the second round (No. 32) of the 2019 NHL Draft, has played for the United States the past two years at the IIHF World Championship, winning gold in 2025. He was invited to orientation camp in Plymouth, Michigan, on Aug. 26 and 27 to help decide the final 25-man roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February.
The Senators (8-5-4) host the Boston Bruins at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, NESN).
"I think everyone feels it in the room," Pinto said. "I know we're still a young team. I just turned 25 and Tim (Stutzle) is still 23 and [Jake Sanderson is 23], so the core is pretty special. I think everyone could see it and everyone's going to buy in now. I think everyone's bought in and we're hoping to do some special things here in the near future.
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