Pinto focused on winning games, not Calder Trophy for Senators

Shane Pinto could do something only one other player has done in Ottawa Senators history.

The forward is among the early favorites to win the Calder Trophy given to the NHL rookie of the year. But he's not concerned about that.
"I don't care about [the Calder Trophy]. I really only care about winning," Pinto told NHL.com recently. "I know it sounds cliche but if you don't win, it really doesn't matter what you do statistically. I really care about the team result, so I really hope we start winning."
Pinto is leading rookies in goals (eight) and tied with Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers for second in points (nine), behind Arizona Coyotes forward Matias Maccelli (10). If he continues on this pace, he could become the second Senators player, and first since Daniel Alfredsson, to win the Calder Trophy. The former forward, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, won the award in 1996, when he had 61 points (26 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games.
"I think I put a lot of work in the summer, I took care of my body a lot," Pinto said. "I was really looking forward to this year especially because of last year, I was hurt."
The Senators (5-9-1) defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Saturday to end a seven-game skid (0-6-1). It was their first win of the season when Pinto had not scored. Ottawa, which lost 4-2 to the New York Islanders on Monday, is 4-2-1 when he does and 1-7-0 when he doesn't.
"I've said it in so many interviews but when you play with good players, it's pretty easy out there," said Pinto, who turned 22 on Saturday. "Playing with [Claude Giroux] and [Alex] DeBrincat on the power play, they make some nice plays to me, so I just have to put in the back of the net. It's been going good so far."
Pinto scored six goals in his first eight games this season before not scoring in the next four. He scored two goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, when he had about 40 family members in attendance. Pinto grew up in Franklin Square, New York.
"I think we earned that one, but they found a way," Pinto said. "It was a very cool moment, a cool atmosphere, but I wish we could have won."

It's been the start Pinto hoped for after his 2021-22 season was derailed by injuries. He played the first four games before missing 13 with a shoulder injury. Upon his return, he reinjured the shoulder and needed surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
Pinto had one assist in five games.
"I just had so much time to think, I think I had eight months to wind down and think about hockey," Pinto said. "I just always thought about this season and how I was going to be ready coming into it. Just having that fresh start and flushing down last year and just being ready for this year was my main focus this summer. I'm just thankful it's started well."
Ottawa entered the season with high expectations after signing Giroux and trading for DeBrincat and goalie Cam Talbot. The Senators began with four wins in their first six games.
"I think it's huge," Pinto said of the offseason additions. "Especially Giroux, just providing that veteran presence, he's played 1,000 games and he's been in so many situations. Just to have him in the locker room and just talking to us, learning a lot from him.
"And then adding those two players in DeBrincat and Talbot, it just helps our team tremendously. It's been a struggle here for a bit for the past couple of games, but I know we're going to turn it around. It's going to be a good year for us."
The Senators are for sale, and one person who expressed interest in buying the team is actor Ryan Reynolds, who was at Canadian Tire Centre on Nov. 8 and received a standing ovation.
"That'd be pretty cool," Pinto said about Reynolds. "I watched the two 'Deadpool' movies and they're pretty good movies. I think it just shows the excitement we have around our team. People want to purchase the team and that's pretty cool. To have him been one of the candidates is pretty awesome. We'll see what happens, but if he does become one of the owners that would be pretty awesome."
NHL staff writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report