Blackhawks Need to Trade Star Forward Before the Deadline
Amid a rough start to the Blackhawks season, one veteran stands out more than the rest. Ryan Donato has lit the lamp 10 times this season, leading the team in scoring. The winger is providing a much-needed surge with some of the younger pieces that have been slower getting out of the starting gate.
After a stint in Seattle, Donato inked a two-year deal with the Hawks last summer. The former second-round pick of the Boston Bruins got a chance to play on Connor Bedard’s wing against Pittsburgh to begin his tenure with the organization. Donato’s time playing with the young phenom didn’t last long, but he still found his way in the lineup 78 times a year ago. He was a consistent forward presence for a struggling club, as the veteran posted 12 goals and 18 assists.
Donato is well on his way to surpassing his scoring totals from last year, being just three goals, 13 assists, and 15 points away from doing so.
The 28-year-old’s early season success leads to some interesting conversations for the Hawks front office. Donato's expiring contract makes him an obvious trade candidate. If the league hasn't already taken notice of his impressive production this season, it soon will.
The Hawks are used to moving off players on expiring deals in the last few years. The biggest trade of them all involved the legend Patrick Kane two seasons ago, but other names have netted the franchise a decent deadline return. Names like Max Domi, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, and Jack Johnson were also a part of the massive movement the Hawks had at the 2023 deadline.
Donato won’t bring back more than a second-round draft choice, but nobody within the organization would complain about that whatsoever. With that being the ceiling return, many imagine the floor for the Boston native would be a fourth or fifth-round pick. Realistically, the final return should be somewhere in between as long as Donato stays healthy and continues to produce at this level.
The departure of a guy like Donato still benefits the franchise in the short term. There is a plethora of prospects excelling in the AHL right now who deserve an opportunity to skate with the big club at some point this season.
The team’s current top prospect, Frank Nazar, has made defenders look silly this season and is certainly due for a call-up. He might be brought up to join the team well before the deadline, but if he isn’t, he would be an easy candidate to fill Donato’s roster spot.
Another name that will get some consideration down the line in the forwards group is Landon Slaggert. Similar to Nazar, Slaggert signed his entry-level deal with the Hawks as soon as his collegiate season ended at Notre Dame. While Slaggert doesn’t have the ceiling and superstar potential that Nazar does, he still can be an impact forward for the franchise down the road.
The Blackhawks can benefit from a Ryan Donato trade in multiple ways if they eventually go through with a deal. They can get capital in return to help their future even more, and it paves the way for younger players to break into the NHL. A clear negative in trading a player of Donato’s character is that consistency is lost on and off the ice. However, it does not make any sense for the Hawks to hold onto an expiring contract like his. It would be best for both parties if a trade is made closer to the deadline.