Pinto will report to the Senators after a mandatory quarantine period.
The 20-year-old was named one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award - bestowed annually to the NCAA's top men's hockey player - just a few hours before Ottawa announced the signing.
Pinto produced 15 goals and 17 assists across 28 games in his second collegiate campaign. The Senators drafted him 32nd overall in 2019.
Ottawa also signed Pinto's NCAA teammate, defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, to an entry-level pact Thursday. The Senators selected Bernard-Docker 26th overall in 2018.
Connor McDavid's elbow on Jesperi Kotkaniemi is top of mind right now - and rightfully so, he deserved a fine. But let's not get it twisted, hockey fans: What McDavid has accomplished this season, his sixth in the NHL, isn't diminished by one angry elbow.
McDavid has amassed 21 goals and 42 assists for 63 points in 37 games. He's nine points ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl, the only other player so far to reach the 50-point mark. No. 97 isn't dining out on secondary helpers, either. No, McDavid ranks first in primary assists, with 28, and his 21 goals are just three back of Maple Leafs super sniper and buddy Auston Matthews.
Kevin Sousa / Getty Images
McDavid is on pace to replicate his 2016-17 awards haul, when he claimed the Art Ross, Hart, and Lindsay trophies. In fact, there isn't a logical Hart case to be made for anyone else. The 24-year-old has been the best and most valuable player - a man possessed. McDavid, the Oilers captain, skates for 22:19 a night, second among NHL forwards; he's collected a point on 52% of all Oiler goals; and Edmonton is primed to snag a North Division playoff spot.
McDavid's current points per game rate - 1.70 - is not only the highest of his career, but it's the highest of the entire salary-cap era, which began in 2005-06. Here's the list of cap-era players who have finished a season with 1.50 points per game or greater (minimum 37 games):
There are some McDavid-friendly variables at work. The 37-game sample size is relatively small, and the temporary North Division has been an offensive playground this season. We also can't ignore the impact of skating with another legitimate superstar like Draisaitl, who's been on the ice for 60% of McDavid's minutes.
Nevertheless, McDavid's producing at a rate that projects to 95 points over 56 games (which encompasses the rest of this season's schedule) or 139 points over a full 82 games. And it would be foolish to suggest McDavid won't challenge the 100-point mark this year - if he can stay healthy during the regular season's final six weeks.
The NHL trade deadline is approaching. You can bet Oilers general manager Ken Holland and his staff are debating the various scenarios with one consistent thought in the back of their minds: How do we maximize peak McDavid this season and for the five seasons remaining on his contract?
'Canes PP, Necas surging
The Carolina Hurricanes power play has been a juggernaut this campaign. In 107 power-play opportunities, the 'Canes have scored 32 times for a league-high 29.9% success rate. Last year, at 22.8%, they finished eighth in the NHL, which was still very good.
This year has brought next-level proficiency. Carolina is scoring 12.07 goals per 60 minutes on the power play, which is 2.24 goals better than second-ranked Tampa Bay.
"It's all personnel," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said earlier this week when asked about the driving forces behind the uptick. "I've been here for a long time, running the power play. I haven't really changed it from one year to the next too much. And yet, now, all of a sudden, it's, 'Oh, it's a good power play!'
"Well, we've been trying the same things for 10 years, you know? You get better players, and there's something to be said about guys that have been around each other now for a while, that chemistry, that kind of understanding of, OK, where are we going?"
Gregg Forwerck / Getty Images
Quarterback Dougie Hamilton has collected a cool 14 power-play assists, while Vincent Trocheck leads all 'Canes in PP goals with six. Jordan Staal has bagged five, Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas both have four, and seven others have at least one tally. Everybody's pitching in.
In general, Necas is enjoying a breakout season, picking up 28 points in 31 games. The sophomore winger has become an essential member of the top power-play unit and is one of those "better players" at the coach's disposal.
"He's just blossoming and maturing," Brind'Amour said of the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. "The talent's always been there, but then you gotta figure out how to play. You take the video and the stuff that you get taught, and you go, 'Oh yeah, this does work …' And then you apply it to all that talent, and I think you're starting to see all of that kind of come together."
Carolina is tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the NHL in standings points percentage. Frankly, the 'Canes are the Stanley Cup contender that media and fans aren't talking about nearly enough - especially since general manager Don Waddell has made it known he's looking for reinforcements ahead of the April 12 deadline.
Carrier's subtle impact
One of my favorite stats is penalty differential, which is a plus-minus rating for penalties drawn and taken. I find it provides a clearer picture of player discipline than raw penalty minutes. If a player is penalized a certain number of times but induces the opposition into committing infractions more often, that's a net-positive.
As of Thursday morning, Evolving Hockey's penalty differential leaderboard featured Nikolaj Ehlers alone at plus-15. McDavid, Brady Tkachuk, Conor Garland, and Johnny Gaudreau were next at plus-14. Jack Hughes is at plus-13; Kirill Kaprizov and William Carrier were at plus-11; and, to round out the top 10, Brayden Point and Elias Pettersson were at plus-10.
It's a list of nine offensive studs who frequently possess the puck … and Carrier, a 6-foot-2, 218-pound depth winger for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Michael Martin / Getty Images
Carrier has taken five minor penalties and drawn 16 while averaging just 9:37 of ice time a night. What's more, two of those minors were assessed to him for delay-of-game infractions; he flipped the puck over the glass, and then he was picked to serve a team penalty after an unsuccessful coach's challenge.
So, really, Carrier has crossed the line just three times (high sticking, interference, hooking) and induced as many penalties as Gaudreau, Kaprizov, and Ehlers. Again, one of these players is not like the others.
Carrier has recorded two goals and three assists skating alongside Tomas Nosek and Ryan Reaves on Vegas' fourth line. It's a heavy, hard-forechecking line head coach Pete DeBoer lauds for their consistently disciplined play.
"Typically, when you've got intimidating players in the depth of your lineup, a lot of time the trade-off is, you know you're going to be taking minor penalties. And those guys don't," DeBoer said Wednesday of Reaves and Carrier. "Will, in particular, with his speed and his fearlessness with attacking holes on the ice, draws a lot of penalties 'cause his feet are always moving, and he's willing to go to those areas. The rest of our group can take a little bit of a page from that because I don't think we draw enough doing those things."
Player A vs. Player B
It never ceases to amaze me how seamlessly two wingers picked inside the top 10 of the 2014 NHL Draft have matched up over the past six-plus years.
Let's call them Player A and Player B for a moment.
Player A is listed at 6-foot and 191 pounds. Player B's the same height but 19 pounds lighter. Both are creative with the puck and possess dynamic skating abilities. Both broke into the league in 2015-16 and took a step back in 2018-19 but otherwise average roughly 60 points per 82 games. Both make a substantial amount of money - even relative to most of their peers - and are currently in the third year of long-term deals. That said, neither is the most talented or highest-earning player on their star-studded squads.
Player A's career average time on ice is 16:35. Player B's is 16:28. Player A has appeared in 343 games, 63 fewer than Player B's 406. That key discrepancy - games played - means the ideal way to compare their career production is to look at per-game stats. Let's see if they're in sync:
Like I said, amazing.
So who are they? Player A is the Leafs' William Nylander and Player B is the Jets' Ehlers.
Devils' two-headed saving grace
It isn't the sexiest storyline but props to the goalie tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood for keeping the New Jersey Devils afloat.
Corey Crawford's unexpected retirement put the Devils in a bind back in January. Blackwood, a 24-year-old still coming into his own as an NHLer, was supposed to share the starting load with Crawford, while the 28-year-old Wedgewood was slotted in as the No. 1 for AHL Binghamton. Both netminders were instantly elevated to more prominent and demanding roles.
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
This season, Blackwood has posted a .911 save percentage in all situations and .919 at even strength through 20 games. Behind him, Wedgewood owns a .914 in all situations and .924 at evens in 11 appearances. Those aren't gaudy numbers. Yet consider New Jersey's team defense, which isn't exactly a world-beater, ranking 27th in shots against per game. In that context, Blackwood and Wedgewood have been more than good enough for the 13-16-5 Devils.
By design, rebuilding teams lose a lot. However, losing doesn't always have to be detrimental to the culture of the club. Competent goaltending tends to keep a group's collective head up because blowouts are minimized and the losing doesn't extend to depressing lengths, like Buffalo's 18-game disaster.
Keep in mind, too, that the Devils were off for the first half of February due to a COVID-19 spread within the team. Returning to the crease after a long break from stopping pucks would be difficult for any goalie, and Blackwood had it particularly hard as one of the players who experienced COVID symptoms.
3 parting thoughts
Trade market: If I'm the GM of a playoff-bound team looking for scoring, Taylor Hall is Plan B, C, or D. The former MVP's production has dropped off a cliff since leaving New Jersey in December 2019. Instead, one of Hall's ex-teammates, Kyle Palmieri, would be my primary target. The longtime Devil isn’t having a banner year (eight goals in 33 games) but he has a long track record of recording 25-30 goals a season, carries a lower cap hit than Hall and would presumably command less in a trade, and also is on an expiring contract. The only question: Will GM Tom Fitzgerald re-sign him instead?
The Bruins should get Kyle Palmieri if only to stop him from scoring on them.
Nashville Predators: Don't get caught up in this mini-run, David Poile. The Preds GM should stick to the original plan of selling pieces ahead of the deadline. A Central Division playoff spot isn't guaranteed, and, even if one is secured, good luck in a first-round series versus Tampa Bay, Carolina, or Florida. Resetting the roster should be the top priority if Nashville wants to chase a Stanley Cup again in the medium term. The current group hasn't and won't get it done.
"It's been a complicated year right from the get go. And it's not getting any less complicated with our recent play." - #Preds GM David Poile on finding the balance between striking while the iron is hot vs. holding onto pieces in hopes of a successful run
Carter Verhaeghe: The Florida Panthers have unearthed a gem in Verhaeghe, who is tied for second in the NHL in even-strength goals with 15 in 36 games. He's under contract with Florida for only $1 million per year through next season. I can't help but think of the Golden Knights' debut campaign and the type of performances we saw from William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault (ironically, former Panthers). Some players just need a team to believe in them, and Verhaeghe found a believer in Florida GM Bill Zito.
This is the third Panthers game I've watched start to finish this season and I think Carter Verhaeghe is the best player in the world?
Vancouver Canucks games through April 6 have been postponed as two players and a member of the coaching staff remain in COVID-19 protocol, the league announced Thursday.
The Canucks have three games scheduled over that span. Forward Adam Gaudette and defenseman Travis Hamonic were on the NHL's latest COVID list.
— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) April 1, 2021
Stephenson was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for the hit. Bjornfot left the contest and didn't return.
The league's Department of Player Safety faced some scrutiny earlier this week after slapping MVP-favorite Connor McDavid with a $5,000 fine for his elbow to the head of Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi. However, the NHL determined a key difference between the two plays.
"It is important to note that while we accept Stephenson's argument that he did not attempt to hit Bjornfot in the head, this is not a case where a blow to an opponent's torso or shoulder rides up and makes subsequent or glancing contact with his head. This is a direct and forceful elbow to an opponent's head, which caused an injury," the league said in its explanation.
Stephenson doesn't have any prior suspensions. The 26-year-old has contributed 20 points in 32 games this season while averaging over 17 minutes per contest.
Bjornfot, a first-round pick by the Kings in 2019, has registered four assists in 19 games this year.
The North Dakota product was widely considered the top college free agent in this year's class.
"He's a very intelligent puck mover with some skill and runs North Dakota's power play," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote. "He's not that big or quick, but neither the size nor the quickness are so detrimental to limit him at higher levels due to the very high IQ. He should be able to defend OK versus pros while making great outlets and offensive plays.
"I could see him as a third-pair defenseman in the NHL."
Kiersted, 22, tallied 22 points in 29 games during his senior year with the Fighting Hawks. He finished as the runner-up to UND teammate Jacob Bernard-Docker for NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year.
"Matt is an exciting defenseman who plays the game with great speed and vision," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. "His steady progression and development from an undrafted player to one of the NCAA's top defensemen is a display of his resiliency and motivation to succeed."
Kiersted is listed at 6-feet and 181 pounds and shoots left.
The 28-year-old winger has tallied just a pair of goals and three helpers in 20 games this season. His underlying numbers haven't been strong, either.
Nikita Gusev, placed on waivers by NJ, has not worked out as expected. He ranks near the bottom of the league this season in WAR, in large part due to his horrible finishing and defensive play. Some offensive flahes but overall not... not good. #NJDpic.twitter.com/YBw2RSUft0
Gusev arrived in New Jersey with plenty of hype. The Devils surrendered second- and third-round picks for him in July 2019. He was originally a seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012 but never suited up for the team. He was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 as part of the expansion draft process before being dealt to the Devils.
The Russian winger had an excellent career in the KHL, recording 82 points in 62 games during his final season with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2018-19. He was also integral to the Olympic Athletes from Russia's gold medal at the PyeongChang Games, leading the tournament with 12 points in six contests.
Gusev was productive in 2019-20, registering 44 points in 66 games with the Devils, but was unable to replicate that success.
He's in the final year of his contract carrying a $4.5-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.
MacKinnon and Garland were engaged in a scrum near the end of Wednesday's one-sided Avs blowout. When Garland's helmet came loose, MacKinnon underhanded it back at him.
The Nova Scotia native received a 10-minute misconduct on the play and was ejected from the contest, marking the first time MacKinnon's been fined or suspended in his career since Scouting The Refs started keeping track in 2014-15 - the 25-year-old's sophomore season.
MacKinnon was last season's Lady Byng Memorial Trophy recipient, awarded to the player "adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability." The former first overall pick had 12 penalty minutes in 69 games last year but 14 on Wednesday night.
Bernard-Docker will report directly to Ottawa following his required quarantine period.
The Senators selected the right-handed blue-liner 26th overall at the 2018 draft. He was their second of two first-rounders that year after taking Brady Tkachuk fourth overall.
"Jacob represents another key component of our future," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said. "He's very mature for his age and already possesses great gap and stick detail within his game. He's an exemplary leader and a winner who we're looking forward to seeing in our lineup."
The 20-year-old recently wrapped up a three-year NCAA career at the University of North Dakota. He tallied 18 points in 27 games during his final season with the Fighting Hawks and was named NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year on March 10.
Bernard-Docker helped Canada capture a gold medal at the 2020 world juniors, collecting one goal in seven games.
The Senators have used at least one first-rounder on a defenseman in three straight years. After taking Bernard-Docker in 2018, they chose Lassi Thomson 19th overall in 2019 and used the No. 5 pick in 2020 on Jake Sanderson.
