Breaking: Done Deal. Chicago Blackhawks Acquire $65 Million Closer In Blockbuster Deal
Ryan Donato would ‘want to stay’, therefore the Blackhawks need to sign him to a new deal.
After holding Donato past the trade deadline, Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson made an initial offer to him; nevertheless, more discussions will be need to re-sign the prospective free agency.
The Blackhawks must re-sign Ryan Donato now that they have retained him over the trade deadline.
If the Hawks let Donato leave as a free agent this summer, it will be much harder to defend general manager Kyle Davidson’s decision to turn down a mediocre trade offer of a middle-round draft selection for Donato.
After all, his outstanding play—51 points in 65 games following his two assists in the Hawks’ 6-2 defeat to the Canucks on Saturday—as well as his relentless work ethic and deep commitment to the Hawks’ future were the main reasons for keeping him. If the Hawks are unable to retain Donato for that future, then the argument is moot.
Everything suggests that both sides are eager to strike a deal and that it will be resolved in due time.
Not that the Hawks would be careless, but Donato has earned a substantial raise on his current $2 million salary-cap charge, and they have more than enough budget room to give it to him. Davidson has already made a preliminary offer.
“I wish I could stay,” Donato stated on Saturday. “This place has seemed like a second home to me ever since I arrived. It’s been fantastic since [my wife and I] had our first kid here. In Chicago, we adore it. I would really love to be here if everything works out.
Making a contract projection
Donato, who will turn 29 in April, is a little challenging to evaluate because his 2024–25 season stands out from the rest of his career in a positive way. Prior to this season, he had never scored more than 31 points in any of his six complete NHL seasons (with five teams), and he finished with 30 points in 78 games, his first with the Hawks.
On the one hand, Donato’s shooting percentage of 15.6% is unsustainable and is likely to revert to his career average of 10.6% the next season. From 8.19 last season to 8.64 this season, his shots-on-goal rate (per 60 minutes of ice time) has only marginally risen. Simply put, many more of those photos have been taken.
However, Donato’s gains in skating speed and agility, which came from the changes he made last summer, are likely to continue. He may have unlocked a new level of his game for good.
What may his next deal include, then?
Although there are no ideal models, two semi-comparable contracts that are worth mentioning are the one that journeyman forward Anthony Duclair signed with the Islanders last summer (four years with a $3.5 million cap hit) and the one that Ducks forward Frank Vatrano signed in January (three years with a $4.57 million cap hit).
It’s more difficult and less significant in Vatrano’s case because his deal really has an annual average value (AAV) of $6 million, with a rare instance of deferred compensation keeping the cap low.
Vatrano’s journey from a bottom-six forward who bounced around the league to a mid-career breakout on a rebuilding club is still recognizable. Throughout his career, he has been somewhat more productive than Donato, but Donato’s team may be able to point to this as an ambitious example.
Despite having a different playing style than Donato, Duclair has produced similarly throughout his career, even in his contract year last season.
Donato may be especially interested in a three- or four-year contract because he has switched teams so frequently. He may enjoy some much-needed stability, particularly now that he has a family.
A cap hit between Vatrano’s and Duclair’s figures, maybe around $4 million, would also be a fair middle ground.
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