Chicago Blackhawks Re-Sign Ryan Donato

The Chicago Blackhawks decided to keep their leading goal scorer from this season by re-signing forward Ryan Donato to a multi-year contract on Wednesday. The 29-year-old forward signed a four-year extension through the 2028-29 season with a salary cap hit of $4 million per year. Donato was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

“Ryan brings energy and competes hard every game, which has been a huge asset to our team over the last two seasons,” General Manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “He’s been a crucial part of our offense, and we’re excited for Ryan to continue to make a difference in our lineup for the next four years.”

Donato broke out during the 2024-25 season with 31 goals and 31 assists for a career-high 62 points. The former Harvard University star was a second round draft pick in 2014 by the Boston Bruins and is currently playing for his fifth NHL team. During the 2023-24 season, the Boston, Massachusetts native totaled just 30 points and discussed in trade talks at the trade deadline this past March.

The 29-year-old is now a part of the Blackhawks’ rebuild which includes the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.