According to the Province, winger Steve Pinizzotto, 28, who has never played in an NHL game, will soon be getting his chance, either Thursday against Nashville (possible) or Saturday against Detroit (likely). His conditioning stint in Chicago is done. The Canucks signed the 6'1" 195 pound Pinizzotto as a free agent in the summer of 2011. The poor guy looked great in his first Canucks training camp but then blew his shoulder out, costing him the 2011-12 season. During the recent lockout (vomit) he then tore his groin while playing in the minors and was out of action for 3 months. Pinizzotto is obviously the guy the Canucks want on their bottom 6. They had to put Aaron Volpatti on waivers to make room for him and you know what happened there.

I remember watching him in the 2011 preseason thinking: this guy is a shit disturber who is scrappy and has seemingly decent hands. So I really anticipate what he can do here. He may surprise us. Canucks' Assistant GM Lorne Henning told the Province that Pinizzotto is still working on his timing, and no shit because he missed a lot of time with those injuries.

-Right-handed. Plays wing and center.

-Hails from Mississauga Ontario.

-Never drafted. The Capitals signed him in 2007.

-Played hockey at the Rochester Institute Of Technology, as did Chris Tanev.

-Italian father, German mother. Maybe he and Lou can watch the Godfather trilogy together.

-Won a Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears in 2010.

Pinizzotto's career stats:

ZottoTube

Watch this madness. I like the guy already!

Beauty scrap here:

Shit disturbus maximus:

Nice goal:

Welcome to the NHL, Steve! Been a long time comin'.