WJC standout Shane Pinto won't make the jump to the NHL next year
Ottawa Senators draft pick Shane Pinto, who looked great for Team USA at the latest World Junior Championships, has informed the team that he will not make the jump to the NHL next season. Instead, he will return to the University of North Dakota for his sophomore season.
"I think the biggest thing is the way the season ended," Pinto told the Grand Forks Herald. "I want to be back with the guys. We have a lot of guys coming back -- Kawa (Jordan Kawaguchi), Kiers (Matt Kiersted). We'll have another good chance to win the national title. The prior year doesn't matter anymore. We've got to reset."
Pinto was selected 32nd overall by Ottawa in 2019. He enjoyed early success at the WJC, being named the player of the game for the opening game of the tournament against Canada after scoring two goals and netting an assist. He would finish the tournament with four goals and seven points in five games.
The 19-year-old centre also had a great season with UND, netting 16 goals and 28 points in 33 games.
"I feel like my skating improved this year, but to play at the next level, you have to be an unreal skater. And I want to work on my all-around skills and keep working on my shot. Those are some things I want to focus on improving the most."
Source: Grand Forks Herald
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YESTERDAY
MAY 20, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Dylan Coghlan | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Pavel Dorofeyev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nic Dowd | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Gabriel Landeskog | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ross Colton | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ben Hutton | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nathan MacKinnon | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brandon Saad | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Devon Toews | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Ahcan | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| Brent Burns | - | - | - | |
| Jack Drury | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||