Aside from the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks‘ most pressing matter for this summer was re-upping Ryan Donato. Less than 24 hours after the conclusion of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, general manager Kyle Davidson got it done—a team-friendly four-year, $16 million deal.
FOUR MORE YEARS OF RYAN DONATO‼️
📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/dmJ0ENjlc0 pic.twitter.com/cScsQdCZJo
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 18, 2025
Chicago had a dismal 2024–25 season, but Donato shone. The 29-year-old more than doubled his previous career high in point-scoring, recording 31 goals and as many assists for an offensively lacking Blackhawks team. Leading the way in points per 60 minutes of ice time (2.85), a player who has been a bottom-six contributor for most of his career could have taken the Blackhawks to the cleaners. However, the two parties settled on what is more or less the going rate for third-line talent.
At this stage, Donato’s floor seems to be a third-line player. He may never reach 62-point heights again, but even if his production halves for the duration of the deal, it’s not a bad one. A reasonable ceiling, though, could be a consistent 50-point middle-six scorer, which would be excellent value for the Blackhawks.
It’s unclear what Chicago’s direction will be in the offseason. Whether they’ll add a few pieces like they did in 2024 or run it back with what was the second-worst team in hockey, not entirely gutting the lineup is a step in the right direction for the rebuild. The focus now can be on adding, not subtracting.
