In this edition of the Ottawa Senators News & Rumors, we will look at Shane Pinto returning to the lineup after missing eight games with an injury, Kenzie Lalonde making her broadcasting debut becoming the first female play-by-play announcer for the NHL in Canada, as well as Tim Stutzle‘s eye injury.
Pinto’s Highly Anticipated Return
With the Battle of Ontario kicking off on Nov. 12, Pinto will return to the lineup. He missed the previous eight games with an undisclosed upper-body injury, but with the quick turnaround time, it doesn’t seem to be something related to the multiple shoulder injuries he has had previously.
Pinto is a crucial part of the Senators’ forward depth. He has three points in six games so far this season, and while that is a fairly slow start, he has a lot more to give than that. His offensive instincts are a big part of his game, and while he only has a career-high of 35 points, between injuries and suspensions, he hasn’t gotten a huge opportunity to break out, which is still expected of him this season.
The other aspect where Pinto thrives is on the defensive side of the puck. He is a great two-way center who is likely to spend most of his time on the third line behind Stutzle and Josh Norris, but he has shown that if he needs to be injected into the top-six group, he can fit in very well and handle the matchups.
As Pinto continues to develop, he will likely end up as a good quality second-liner, which is excellent. Now that he is back in the lineup, he can continue to show his value and hopefully string together a strong stretch of games.
Kenzie Lalonde To Make Play-By-Play Debut
It was announced early in the morning on Tuesday that Lalonde will do the play-by-play for the Nov. 12 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lalonde will continue in her role as TSN’s Montreal bureau chief and being an in-arena host.
Many fans that regularly watch TSN broadcasts are familiar with Lalonde, and her work is always outstanding.
Related: Senators’ Good Season Being Undone by Weak Penalty Killing
Julian McKenzie of The Athletic wrote a story giving some background on Lalonde, including the fact that she used to watch Ray Emery drive around the city of Ottawa in his orange Lamborghini, she attended the game where Chris Neil’s number was retired, and more. (from Kenzie Lalonde to join Senators broadcasts as first female TV play-by-play voice for NHL team in Canada, The Athletic, Nov. 12, 2024)
Lalonde has spent time working with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), calling some of the women’s games including the IIHF Women’s World Championship, Olympics, and more. This isn’t a brand new gig for her, but it is a massive milestone for the sport of hockey, as well as the impact women have on the game.
Tim Stutzle Gets Lucky With Eye Injury
During last weeks game against the New York Islanders, Stutzle was on the receiving end of a deflected shot that caught him in the eye. Many were concerned about his health after that, especially given the scary scene involving Dylan Holloway just a few nights before.
Four days after the puck caught him high, Stutzle spoke to the media and with a swollen, bruised, and stitched face, he told the media that he was lucky with the damage and that it could have been much worse.
#sens Tim Stützle on the eye injury "I got lucky a little bit."
— Coming In Hot (@ComingInHotSens) November 11, 2024
"They (teammates) think I look pretty nails right now."#wallyvision™️ pic.twitter.com/xL0D5Zsbwf
Stutzle missed the end of the first period, but after plenty of freezing and stitching, he returned. There is no reason to believe there has been any long-term damage or that he will miss any time because of it, which is great news for the Senators and Stutzle.
That’s it for this edition of Senators News & Rumors, but be sure to return in the next installment to stay up to date with all of the latest with the club.
