Report: Sens, RFA Pinto have 'significant gap to bridge'
Published
The Ottawa Senators still have two unsigned restricted free agents on their roster as training camp nears in forwards Shane Pinto and Egor Sokolov.
According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the sense is Pinto and the Senators "have a significant gap to bridge" in their contract talks. Garrioch adds general manager Pierre Dorion has held talks with Pinto's agent, but no contract has developed as of yet.
The 22-year-old centre is coming off his first full season in the NHL, in which he posted 20 goals and 35 points in 82 games.
Selected 32nd overall in the 2019 draft, Pinto had previously been limited to just five games during the 2021-22 season due to a shoulder injury. He is coming off his three-year, entry-level contract.
Sokolov had one goal and one assist in five games with the Senators last season. He added 21 goals and 59 points in 70 games with the AHL's Belleville Senators.
Garrioch reports "the 23-year-old isn’t looking to hit a home run in his negotiations with the Senators, but is seeking a raise."
A second-round pick in 2020, Sokolov is also coming off his entry-level contract, which carried a cap hit of $818,333 at the NHL level.
The Senators currently have $895,953 in cap space for the upcoming season, per CapFriendly, without using long-term injured reserve. Ottawa has over $5 million in dead cap this season after retaining salary on Matt Murray and their previous buyouts of Bobby Ryan, Colin White and Michael Del Zotto.