Ryan Donato remaining a member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization after the trade deadline two weeks ago was a puzzling move to people across the hockey world. Based on how he played through the first week of March, it was assumed that Chicago would at least receive a second-round draft choice in exchange for Donato’s services.
The biggest move of the deadline for the Blackhawks featured a staple on the blue line in Seth Jones being moved to the Florida Panthers for netminder Spencer Knight and a first-round draft choice. Fans were over the moon when the front office pulled this deal off, but they couldn’t find the right match for Donato’s expiring contract.
It is rumored that the Blackhawks did not get a better offer than a third-round pick for Donato, which led to general manager Kyle Davidson holding onto the 28-year-old forward. It was in the same rumor that revealed what Donato’s extension offer was from Chicago prior to the deadline.
The offer was for three years with a $4 million cap hit per season for the veteran. He clearly did not accept the offer, so it puts him and the Blackhawks in an interesting situation with the offseason looming.
What keeping Ryan Donato means for the Chicago Blackhawks
Donato netted two goals in Chicago’s 7-4 win on Sunday at home against the Flyers. He now has 25 goals on the season to go with his 28 assists for a total of 53 points in 69 games. Prior to this season, Donato’s single-season high in goals were the 16 that he scored with the Seattle Kraken in the 2021-22 campaign.
The 28 helpers are also a single-season high for the former second-round pick of the Boston Bruins, as he is having a career year at the perfect time in his career. He has been a force on both ends for the Blackhawks and his leadership has been massive for the younger forwards on the roster.
With the front office electing to hold onto Donato after the deadline, the pressure is on them to get a deal across the finish line to keep him around after this season. If he wasn’t a fan of the original offer put across by Kyle Davidson, they’ll likely have to either take a year off the deal or add another on with the current salary proposed if they aren’t willing to offer him more money.
Why Ryan Donato can be around for the Chicago Blackhawks next run
The way Donato plays the game is perfect for any contending team in the NHL. On a squad looking to win the Stanley cup, he slots in well as a bottom-six forward who plays with an edge at all times. A concern on Chicago’s end for keeping Donato around is the obvious regression he is bound for next season. He is extremely unlikely to be near 30 goals again and his salary won’t reflect how is performing on the ice.
However, if Chicago has him when they are looking to make a playoff push in the next two or three years, it could be a different story. If they don’t always have to rely on Donato to score consistently and play his role on the third or fourth line, they could be golden.
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