OTTAWA – Shane Pinto’s top priority, when his Ottawa Senators host the Rangers on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre will be to win the game and help the Senators maintain their spot in the top three positions in the Atlantic Division and hold on to an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
But for the Franklin Square native, there’s probably a little more at stake for him, personally.
Because with a good performance against the Rangers, Pinto, 25, has a chance to impress Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, who happens to be the coach for the U.S. Olympic team. So, to an extent, the Ottawa center will be on audition for a spot to make the Olympic squad. Sullivan said he’ll be watching.
“That takes place the next day, when I break the game film down,’’ Sullivan said when asked if it’s really possible to look at Olympic candidates on the other team while he’s trying to coach the Rangers. “[On video,] I have the ability to watch both our team, but I can also key in on our opponents. And I do that all the time.’’
The 6-3, 206-pound Pinto, who was the first pick in the second round of the 2019 draft (No. 32 overall) by the Senators, did go to the U.S. Orientation camp, and he is having a good season, having scored 12 goals, with six assists (18 points) and a 53.8% faceoff win rate in 26 games, before Thursday’s game. And Sullivan said he’s proven to be a strong defensive forward.
“I think he’s always been a very conscientious player defensively. He checks well, [and] positionally, he’s a very sound player,’’ Sullivan said. “One of the guys on my staff, [assistant coach] Ty Hennes, was on the staff for the World Championships in the Czech Republic, in Prague, when Shane was on that team… [U.S. team GM] Billy Guerin and I went over to watch that team and [Pinto is] always in the right spots. There’s a lot of detail around his game away from the puck. I think what he’s shown this year is that there’s an offensive side to his game. And that’s, I think, a growth in his game. That’s exciting for him and for us as Americans.’’
If Pinto makes the team, there could potentially be three Long Islanders on the roster. Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, of Jericho, is currently on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, but is expected to be healed in plenty of time to be able to play. He is having a strong season and is considered a strong candidate to make the team. Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, of Long Beach, who happens to be Sullivan’s son-in-law, returned to practice Thursday after having facial surgery two weeks ago after being hit in the face with a puck. He’s also considered a strong candidate for the team.
The most interesting thing about Pinto’s ability to make the team might be that he could very well be competing with a pair of Rangers – Vincent Trocheck and captain J.T. Miller – for a spot. Trocheck, who missed 14 games early in the season with an upper-body injury, has had a good season to this point – five goals, seven assists in 14 games, while winning 52.6% of his faceoffs.
Miller, slowed by nagging injuries since training camp, came into Thursday with seven goals and seven assists in 26 games, plus a 58.7% faceoff win rate. Asked a question Thursday morning about the Olympics, Miller deferred.
“I don’t want there to be an assumption I’m on the team,’’ he said. “I’m worried about the Rangers, and that’s just a byproduct of however things go here.”
Smaller Olympic rink not ideal
Sullivan was asked his thoughts on reports that the main Olympic rink in Milan might be a little shy of NHL standards. Reports say the rink is being built to a size of 60 meters long, which translates to just short of 197 feet. NHL rinks are 200 feet long.
“I hope that’s not the case,’’ Sullivan said. “I think the NHL rink is too small as it is. When you think in terms of the evolution of the game, and the evolution of people, we’re playing on the same size ice surface that the players were playing on in the ’50s. And the guys playing today are bigger, stronger and faster than they’ve ever been. By nature of that, the playing surface gets smaller, even though, physically, it hasn’t changed.”
Quick trip
G Jonathan Quick made the trip to Ottawa but was not activated off injured reserve. Spencer Martin served as Igor Shesterkin’s backup, for the second straight game.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.