Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto lifted the lid on his 41-game suspension for violating the NHL's gambling rules.

"I had my buddies - because I was in Canada - just place bets for me in America," he explained during a recent appearance on the "Empty Netters" podcast. "I wasn't a Canadian citizen so I couldn't really use a Canadian sportsbook. ... That's proxy betting, so that's obviously a big no-no. It was an illegal act so, obviously, it was a pretty big deal.

"So that's why we didn't want to fight (the suspension) and we just kinda accepted it."

The league announced that Pinto would be banned for half the 2023-24 campaign in late October, marking the NHL's first betting-related ban in the world of online wagering. There was no evidence to suggest that Pinto bet on NHL games.

Pinto said he leaned on his family and teammates during his time on the sidelines and focused on his training while also staying away from social media.

The 23-year-old made his season debut in late January and chipped in with nine goals and 27 points in 41 outings, good for the highest point-per-game rate (0.66) of his career.

"I just did my best with the hand I got dealt with," Pinto said. "Obviously it was a little bit my fault, so I'm not gonna like, (ask for) pity over it. I thought I did a good job of responding from it."

He added: "I'm glad it's over, but I learned a lot from it. Thank god it's all behind me."

Pinto was limited to just five games in 2021-22 because of a shoulder injury, which he said was "tough," but acknowledged that his gambling suspension was "brutal."

"I let down the boys, that's just what it was," he said. "That was the worst part about it. ... We had a tough start (to the year) - not saying it was a big deal that I wasn't there - but, still, it was a big distraction. ... I never wanted to be like that towards the fellas."

Pinto was a restricted free agent this summer and the Senators signed him to a two-year extension with a $3.75-million cap hit in early July. The New York native represented the United States at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where he totaled nine points in eight games.

Ottawa selected him with the first pick of the second round during the 2019 NHL Draft. Pinto has amassed 30 goals and 70 points in 140 career games.

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Steven Stamkos' arrival in Nashville undoubtedly raises expectations for the franchise, but the veteran forward believes the Predators are well-equipped to handle the added pressure.

"You look at elite goaltending, you look at an elite defenseman, you look at elite forwards, they've checked those boxes off. ... The expectation will be to make the playoffs and go on a run," he explained Tuesday. "I think that's a pretty fair assessment of what this group can accomplish."

The two-time champion added: "We want to win a Stanley Cup. That's why we play the game. I think some people are sometimes afraid to say that and it heightens expectations but, at the end of the day, I've always been a big believer that you have to believe that you can do it in order to achieve it."

Stamkos thinks the Predators proved they had the right "building blocks" last season. They were one of the best teams in the league after mid-February, closing out the season on a 20-5-3 run.

That stretch helped Nashville secure a place in the postseason after missing out in 2023, though the squad was eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks in six games during the opening round.

One of the Predators' biggest issues this past spring was scoring: They ranked 14th out of the 16 playoff teams in both goals per game (2.00) and shots per game (25.0).

General manager Barry Trotz addressed that weakness when free agency opened on July 1, signing Stamkos to a four-year, $32-million deal and bringing in 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault.

"I've been so fortunate to have won a championship before and know how hard it is to get there and the experience that comes along with that," Stamkos said. "We've added some players that have done that as well and I think that's just a contagious attitude we can have in this dressing room. ... We have a lot to be excited about."

The Predators have never won the Stanley Cup, but they made the finals in 2017.

Though no one can predict what awaits Nashville at the end of the 2024-25 season, fans likely won't have to wait long for Stamkos' first goal in Music City with his new team.

The longtime Tampa Bay Lightning captain still recalls the last goal he scored at Bridgestone Arena, even though it was almost two years ago.

"That overtime winner, one-timer? Yeah, I remember that," he said with a wry smile. "Good screen by Corey Perry in front."

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Joe Pavelski has officially called it a career after 18 NHL campaigns.

The veteran forward - who turned 40 on Thursday - appeared in 1,332 regular-season games, split between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars. He tallied 476 goals and 1,068 points, the sixth most among American players in league history.

Though Pavelski never lifted the Stanley Cup, he was a prolific playoff producer. His 74 goals in 201 postseason contests are the most by a U.S.-born player (Brett Hull scored 103 and, though he represented America internationally, he was born in Canada). Pavelski advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 and 2020 and made the conference finals on five more occasions.

Pavelski became the oldest player to score four goals in a single playoff game in 2023 at 38 years old. Almost three years earlier, he netted the first postseason hat trick in Stars history since their relocation from Minnesota.

The Wisconsin native was leaning toward retirement when the Stars were eliminated in the Western Conference Final during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"I didn't want to use the 'R' word, I guess, right away. ... I wanted just a little bit of extra time (after the season) to think about it," Pavelski told SiriusXM's "NHL Morning Skate" on Tuesday, according to NHL.com. He added, "I was pretty comfortable with that plan then so I didn't want to keep people hanging and thinking and talking about certain things, but it's a pretty clear outlook.

"Over the last month, we've given it some more thought. ... It's just a great time for us as a family, as a career."

Pavelski became the 25th player to appear in 200 postseason games this past spring, but he's the only one without a ring.

San Jose selected Pavelski in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL Draft. He ranks second in franchise history in goals (355), third in points (761), and fourth in games played (963). He lit the lamp 41 times in 2013-14, becoming the fourth Sharks player to reach the single-season milestone.

Pavelski donned the 'C' for the last four years of his tenure in San Jose and signed with the Stars as an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

He enjoyed a spectacular second act in Dallas, including a career year in 2021-22 in which he potted 81 points in 82 outings. Pavelski spent most of his five-year stint with the Stars on the top line, forming a fearsome trio with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Internationally, Pavelski won a silver medal with the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

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The Edmonton Oilers traded forwards Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for winger Roby Jarventie and a 2025 fourth-round pick, the teams announced Monday.

Ottawa and Edmonton explored the deal at the draft in late June but were unable to get it done until now, according to the Edmonton Journal's Kurt Leavins.

Selected by the Oilers with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Bourgault has spent the last two campaigns with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors. The 21-year-old struggled this past season while dealing with a shoulder injury, amassing eight goals and 20 points in 55 outings. It was a step back from his rookie year when he potted 34 points in 62 games.

Expectations for Bourgault were high after he wrapped up his junior career with 36 goals and 75 points in 43 games as a member of the QMJHL's Shawinigan Cataractes in 2021-22.

Chiasson was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft. He appeared in 68 contests for the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets in 2023-24, totaling nine goals and 20 points. The 21-year-old also slotted in for one AHL contest with the Condors in April.

Jarventie, meanwhile, was drafted by the Senators early in the second round in 2020. He made his NHL debut in November and suited up for seven games, chipping in with one assist and five shots. The 21-year-old also played 22 games with the AHL's Belleville Senators, registering nine goals and 20 points before undergoing season-ending knee surgery in February.

The Oilers have been a fan of Jarventie for some time, according to commentator Bob Stauffer. The Tampere, Finland, native is listed at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds.

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Though there hasn't been much movement on a potential Patrik Laine trade, new Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell remains hopeful that he'll be able to get something done.

"There really aren't a lot of free agents out there," the executive told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "If (teams) have the (salary) cap (space) today, they'll probably still have it tomorrow. I know there are teams that are still interested."

Reports emerged in mid-June that the Jackets were working with Laine on a trade. The 26-year-old is under contract for two more seasons with an $8.7-million cap hit. Laine has been in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program since January.

He was limited to 18 contests in 2023-24 after battling multiple injuries, including a broken clavicle. Laine was also a healthy scratch in November, which he said was "the most embarrassing thing" to happen to him in his career at the time.

The Finn cited his "mental health and well-being" when he entered the assistance program. The Jackets - under then-GM Jarmo Kekalainen - were apparently willing to listen to offers on Laine before he joined the program.

Teams - including Columbus - can't speak directly to Laine while he's in the program, though he can still be traded. It's a unique situation for Waddell, especially considering he just stepped in as the Jackets' GM in May.

"Teams keep checking in to see if there's anything new," he said. "I tell them, 'You guys have to be comfortable with (Laine), and I can't help you.' I don't know the player personally. I'm not one to try and trick people either, so (we) made him available to chat (when he's cleared)."

The Blue Jackets acquired Laine from the Jets in January 2021 as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg.

Laine hasn't flourished in Columbus, amassing 64 goals and 138 points in 174 games over the past four years. His best statistical seasons came with the Jets: Laine reached the 30-goal mark three times and recorded a career-high 44 tallies in 2017-18.

The Blue Jackets haven't made the playoffs during Laine's tenure.

Winnipeg selected Laine with the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.

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The Ottawa Senators re-signed restricted free-agent goaltender Mads Sogaard to a two-year contract, the team announced Monday.

The first year of his new pact is two-way, but it will become a one-way deal in 2025-26. Sogaard's contract is worth $775,000 at the NHL level.

Sogaard appeared in six games this past season, amassing a 1-3-0 record and .859 save percentage. He spent the bulk of the campaign with the AHL's Belleville Senators, where he registered a .916 save percentage, 2.45 goals against average, and 18 victories in 32 showings.

The Denmark native went on to post a .910 clip in six playoff games with Belleville.

Ottawa selected Sogaard in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

The 23-year-old owns a career .884 save percentage and 10 wins in 27 appearances across three NHL seasons.

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The New York Rangers signed restricted free-agent defenseman Braden Schneider to a two-year deal, the team announced Saturday.

Schneider's pact carries a $2.2-million cap hit, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

He can become an RFA with arbitration rights once his new contract expires and will be due a qualifying offer of $2.64 million, per PuckPedia.

Schneider appeared in all 82 games for the Rangers this past season, potting five goals and a career-high 19 points while averaging just under 16 minutes of ice time per contest. He also logged two assists in 16 playoff outings during New York's run to the Eastern Conference Final.

The 22-year-old spent the bulk of his time on a pair with veteran Erik Gustafsson, who signed with the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent on July 1.

When star rearguard Adam Fox missed 10 regular-season games with a knee injury in November, Schneider and Zac Jones formed the third pair with Gustafsson slotting next to Ryan Lindgren. In the postseason, Schneider spent some time in a top-four role next to K'Andre Miller.

The Rangers selected Schneider with the 19th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Schneider has amassed 48 points in 206 career NHL games across three campaigns.

New York now has around $5.1 million in cap space. Lindgren needs a new pact as an RFA, and he was one of 14 players to file for a salary arbitration hearing.

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Sharks rising star Macklin Celebrini is still 90 days away from making his NHL debut, but he's already had a sizeable impact on San Jose.

"You mean other than the fact that the song 'Return of the Mack' has been on the radio 10 times more than it was until that point?" Sharks president Jonathan Becher joked during an appearance on the "San Jose Hockey Now Podcast."

"Come on, let's start with the obvious part, which is, there's just a lot more buzz.

"We're seeing more interest from what I would call the casual NorCal hockey fan. ... We're seeing more interest from the national media. ... Frankly, fans in other markets are paying more attention to what's happening here in San Jose than they did a year ago - unless they were paying attention for negative reasons, which they may have."

San Jose limped through the 2023-24 campaign, finishing last in the league with a 19-54-9 record. But the Sharks' struggles weren't in vain, as they won the draft lottery in May, allowing them to select Celebrini with the first overall pick in June.

Celebrini signed his entry-level deal last Saturday, a financially lucrative day for the player and the organization.

Becher said the Sharks enjoyed a "record merchandise sales day for an (offseason) day" since he was hired by the franchise in 2017. He added that around 80% of the sales were Celebrini merchandise.

The franchise also had "a spike in individual game sales," with the Sharks' home opener on Oct. 10 and their Halloween clash against phenom Connor Bedard's Chicago Blackhawks drawing most of the interest.

The SAP Center can hold a capacity of 17,435 for hockey games. This past season, San Jose recorded an average of 13,559 fans at home contests, trailing only the Winnipeg Jets and Arizona Coyotes (who played in a college-sized arena) for the lowest attendance in the league, according to Sports Business Journal. Thirteen of the Sharks' home games saw attendance dip below 11,000, per The Athletic's Ian Mendes.

As a longtime Sharks fan, Becher said the state of the SAP Center was "emotionally tough."

"When the Tank is full, when it has the energy, it's one of the toughest buildings to play in. ... On the other hand, you look at the people in the building and go, 'That's your core fan base.' ... It's getting the more casual fan to pay attention, which has happened a lot in the last 30, 40 days.

"It feels like we're on that upswing."

Though Becher conceded that Celebrini is "the center" of the heightened hype, he was wary of putting too much pressure on the youngster. General manager Mike Grier held the same sentiment after his top prospect put pen to paper.

"I'm not expecting (Celebrini) to go out there and be the MVP of the league or anything like that," Grier said. "There's gonna be bumps ... and we'll help him navigate those things."

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New Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt knows his place in the lineup isn't set in stone, but he's ready to step his game up as he pursues his first Stanley Cup.

"When you go with the champs, the first thing you say is, 'I got to win that roster spot,'" Schmidt said, according to NHL.com's Jessi Pierce. "Now, I've got to get back into hardware mode of wanting to get into that grind, and that's what's been my motivation this summer."

Schmidt spent the last three seasons with the Winnipeg Jets after being traded by the Vancouver Canucks in July 2021.

However, Winnipeg bought out the last season of his six-year, $37.5-million contract (signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018), making him a free agent. Florida then inked Schmidt to a one-year, $800,000 deal.

Schmidt made the Stanley Cup Final during the Golden Knights' inaugural season in 2017-18 but ultimately lost to the Washington Capitals. That experience has left the veteran feeling "grateful" for the opportunity in the Sunshine State.

"You don't realize how bad you want it until you're not close to winning it again," Schmidt said. "I just want to have a chance. That's all you ever ask for as a young kid. A chance to win the Stanley Cup."

The 32-year-old got a brief taste of playing under current Panthers head coach Paul Maurice in 2021-22. The bench boss helmed the Jets for 29 games that season before resigning. Though it's a small sample size, Schmidt totaled 17 points in that span while averaging 21:33 of ice time per contest.

"My biggest ups when I was in Winnipeg was when I was under Paul Maurice," he said. "And honestly, I just felt like he was somebody who understood my game and knows how to unlock the most out of his guys."

Schmidt mustered two goals and 14 points in 63 games this past season while averaging just 16:48 of ice time per contest in a third-pairing role. He also sat as an occasional healthy scratch.

The Panthers similarly reeled in a veteran reclamation project on the back end last summer, signing Oliver Ekman-Larsson as a free agent after the Vancouver Canucks bought out the last four years of his deal. He responded by adding 32 points in 80 regular-season contests for Florida and also appeared in every playoff game to help secure the franchise's first championship.

On top of Schmidt, Florida added Adam Boqvist after losing Brandon Montour and Ekman-Larsson in free agency.

Schmidt has amassed 220 points in 661 career NHL games.

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The Utah Hockey Club signed forward Tij Iginla to a three-year, entry-level deal, the team announced Thursday.

His contract carries a cap hit of $975,000 with an additional $1 million in performance bonuses, per PuckPedia.

The first pick in Utah's history, Iginla was selected sixth overall at the 2024 NHL Draft in June.

Iginla posted 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games as a member of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets this past season.

He also starred at the World U18 Championship in the spring, totaling six tallies and six assists while helping Canada capture its first gold medal at the event since 2021.

Utah general manager Bill Armstrong is a fan of Iginla's knack for finding the back of the net.

"I said to him, 'We have a lot of 20-goal scorers. We need a 50-goal scorer,'" the executive recounted, according to NHL.com's Matthew Komma. "He's got a chance to kind of push the pace and score some goals for us. I love his mindset."

Iginla spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Seattle Thunderbirds, where he was teammates with current Utah forward Dylan Guenther.

The 17-year-old is the son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla. Tij was drafted higher than his father, who was selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 1995.

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