Hurdles behind him, Pinho back on track chasing dream

Oct. 2—It was a Friday night in Newark, N.J.

North Andover's Brian Pinho apparently zigged when he probably should've zagged.

The first thing he thought about, when he got to the bench was his dad, Jim Pinho.

"I sometimes will go to the bench and say, 'If my dad saw that, he would know I went the wrong way,'" said Brian, 27, a recent free agent signee with the New Jersey Devils.

"Our love of hockey was something we shared," said Brian, a former St. John's Prep and Providence College star. "We would talk after a game. He would give me his thoughts, good and bad."

Brian's dad passed away in early August of 2021 of cancer, at the age of 60.

Hockey was a part of the strong bond for Brian and his dad, who starred in high school on Cape Cod, later playing lacrosse at Merrimack College ('83).

"I think he only missed one game in my entire career," said Brian. "We went to Northern Ireland my senior year at Providence [on Thanksgiving weekend] and there was a family event. Every other game, from youth hockey on, he was always there."

There were a few, straggling minor league games his dad may have missed, especially during the pandemic, but the point is dad was always there, particularly during the tough 2020-21 season.

Brian, playing for the Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, appeared ready to play in the NHL after a big season in which he scored 20 goals with 17 assists in 62 games.

But that's not easy with the perennial contending Caps and he started the season back in Hershey, for a third year since graduating from Providence College.

While averaging a point-a-game early on the injuries piled up, including a serious one to his hand (broken), a concussion and vertigo.

"That was a frustrating year," said Brian's mom, Kerri Pinho, also mother to older brother Kyle and younger sister Caroline. "But Jim was there. And he told Brian he had to take it slow, get healthy, before anything. It wasn't easy."

As "tough" as that year was, it couldn't compare to what was ahead in 2021-22.

A biting pain in Jim's side in June of 2021 was diagnosed as late stage cancer. Less than two months later, he passed away.

"I was not in a good place," recalled Brian. "We were not just a father and son. We were best friends. It wasn't just about hockey. He was my hero. He was a hard worker. He would do anything for anybody in need. He was a great husband and parent."

Brian said the next few months were tough, too, as he wasn't really talkative about losing his father, basically internalizing it.

The hockey part suffered, too. He fell behind because of a reduced workout schedule that summer, then an old, shoulder injury from college creeped back as he started another year in Hershey.

"For a few years my shoulder would pop out, a little bit, every now and again," said Brian. "Then last season it was happening like every two games. I think it happened twenty times."

There was one game in which he took a pass that went to his skates where he moved his shoulder trying to get the puck.

"That was the last straw," said Brian, who found a way to tally eight goals and nine assists in 27 games. "[The Capitals'] doctors decided I need to have surgery. It was the right thing."

While his family back in North Andover was there, he missed his dad helping him gauge and jump the hurdles he faced.

"Part of it was Brian going through a lot of this alone, without family around, especially his dad not being there," said his mom, Kerri. "Brian is a very quiet. He holds a lot in."

This summer was like a new lease on life and his career, post-shoulder surgery.

With his two-year deal up with the Caps, he became a free agent. One of the first calls his agent got was from New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who like Pinho, was a former Providence star and grad.

"I got over the mental block this summer, of pampering [my shoulder]," said Brian. "It was a long, slow process. Once every two weeks I could skate with pucks, but no shooting. When it finally was fully healed. I don't have total rotation to my shoulder, but it's getting better. If I was a baseball player, I'd probably be in trouble."

One of the selling points for both the Devils and Brian was opportunity to compete for a job on the Devils NHL roster and the fact that "culture" was brought up often.

"That means a lot and I'd like to think I bring that to a locker room and team," said Brian. "The Devils play a really skilled game. They play fast. That's my style. There's also a great group of guys here. It's been really cool meeting a new group and fitting in. I'm really enjoying it here."

Brian's college sweetheart, Kate Smith, has also been part of his support system during his pro career. She has been able to be with Brian as she is able to work remotely.

"I am excited about this opportunity," said Brian. "I still have a lot of work ahead. I have to make the team first. I have been very lucky. My mom, my brother and my sister have really supported through some time times.

"But I realized how hard my dad had it near the end. My brother and I would talk about how tough my dad was, still working, still doing yard work and never complaining," said Brian. "I'm not going to lie. I think about him all of the time. I miss him. But I know he's looking down and I think he's proud."

You can email Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.