The most obvious point of confusion?
The line in the NHL statement, which said, “The League’s investigation found no evidence that Pinto made any wagers on NHL games.”
Article 14.1 in the CBA states that players can’t bet on NHL games, but there are no other gambling restrictions included in that document. Some individual teams may forbid staff (including players) from betting with specific club betting partners because of the language included in those contractual arrangements, according to multiple team sources, but beyond that, everything else is fair game.
Placing online bets on
NFL or college football games? Swinging by a sportsbook during a road trip to Las Vegas to lay down a World Series futures wager? Conducting a Masters pool in the dressing room?
Those are all fine for NHLers.
The teams know it, too, which is why multiple executives who spoke with
The Athletic expressed a measure of frustration with the secrecy around the Pinto case. There’s clearly a lesson to be shared with their players here — but what exactly is it?