The Hockey News checked in with Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto, who has seven points in his first seven games this season.
After a 41-game suspension, it was hard to know how long it would take Pinto to jump on to the speeding train of the NHL season.
The answer? Not very long.
After seven games, Pinto has seven points, surpassing his own expectations. After practice on Monday morning, Pinto spoke to The Hockey News-Ottawa about his start to the season.
“I think it took a couple of games to really get in the swing of things, but I'm starting to feel good now,” Pinto said.
There was a moment when Pinto felt he had fully acclimatized back to the NHL.
“The Detroit game, I felt like, 'Okay, I feel super good,'” Pinto said. “I think the games before that at home, I was kind of fighting it, but trying to find it a bit. And then that Detroit game I felt super good and now it's just upward from there.”
Pinto's battle was not getting his conditioning up to the NHL level, it was the details of his game, which is something head coach Jacques Martin preaches relentlessly.
“I think I was in shape, I don't think I was worried about that,” Pinto said. “It was more just the details of being in the right place at the right time and making the right play and having those quick decisions.
In his first couple of games, he relied on adrenaline and not thinking too much.
"I think I've done a good job of kind of getting out of my head and just kind of playing hockey," Pinto said. "Because, at the end of the day, it is hockey, just at the highest level. But I'm confident in my abilities and I just kind of trusted that and now I feel super good.”
A big part of Pinto’s success recently (five points in his last two games) has been his linemates, Ridly Greig and Vladimir Tarasenko.
“I mean, those two guys are just super skilled and Ridly wins every battle,” Pinto said. “So I think that makes it really easy on me and Vladdy. And then (Tarasenko’s) just such a smart player, so strong on the puck, and obviously he has an elite shot. It's a blast playing with them, makes it easy on me and I could just play my kind of defensive positioning.”
For Pinto, the two of those players have allowed him to flourish and have made his transition to the NHL seamless.
“It's been good so far. Hopefully, we keep it rolling. And keep winning.”