Report: Trent Mann Threatened to Resign If Dorion Dealt the Shane Pinto Pick
Imagine a world where Shane Pinto was not a part of the Senators’ future. Well, according to one individual, that possibility almost became a reality.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs hockey ops assistant Jack Han was on the ‘All the Kings Men’ Podcast discussing prospect Arthur Kaliyev when he brought up an interesting anecdote from the 2019 NHL Draft.
According to Han, the Maple Leafs were aggressively trying to work out a deal with the Ottawa Senators for the 32nd overall selection so that the Leafs could select Kaliyev.
“So, when I was with the Maple Leafs on draft day, there was an opportunity for us to trade up and get (Arthur) Kaliyev. It didn’t end up happening because the draft pick that we wanted wasn’t available. The team… really… we were going to trade with the Senators for the first pick of the second round. The Senators’ head scout said to Pierre Dorion, the GM, ‘If you trade this pick, I will resign.’ Because he felt that strongly about the player they were going to pick and it wasn’t Kaliyev. It was Shane Pinto. I think that was a very ballsy call because, I think, Pinto didn’t have the scoring pedigree. It has turned out to be an excellent pick, at least so far. So, I commend that scout for taking a stand and then with the very next pick, I think the Kings took Kaliyev.”
The deal ultimately did not happen because the Senators did not make the pick available because chief scout Trent Mann threatened to resign because he felt that strongly about Pinto’s future.
The gamble has certainly paid off for the Senators so far and whether it was an empty threat or not, Trent Mann certainly looks stronger for pushing for his guy.