Ryan Donato re-signs with Blackhawks

One day after the Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, the Chicago Blackhawks started the offseason on a strong foot.

Forward Ryan Donato has re-signed with Chicago. The deal is a four-year, $16 million contract at $4 million AAV.

Donato’s Blackhawks tenure

Donato signed his first Blackhawks contract in the summer of 2023, signing a two-year, $4 million contract at $2 million AAV. In his first season with the club, Donato notched 12 goals and 18 assists in 78 games during the 2023–24 season.

His second season with the club was a breakout for Donato. With 31 goals and 31 assists in 80 games, Donato logged career highs across the board. He led the team in goals and finished second on the team in points.

In two seasons, Donato played 158 out of a possible 164 games. In that time, Donato has scored 43 goals and recorded 49 assists.

Analysis

It was clear since the trade deadline how much the Blackhawks valued Donato. After refusing to trade him, re-signing Donato became a priority for Chicago.

The key for Chicago was to not become desperate in negotiations. With a massive amount of cap space, and many young skaters finishing their entry-level contracts soon, every dollar was important.

The key for Donato was a place to stay. Donato and his agent emphasized wanting to find his hockey home.

With this contract, both sides come out a winner. Chicago kept a productive middle-six forward who, although he may not replicate his previous season’s output, should continue to produce at his contract value. Donato got the term he was looking for, along with a pay raise from his previous deal.

With no more unrestricted free agents left to sign, Chicago can now spend the rest of the offseason preparing for the draft, prioritizing their restricted free agents and writing up offers for potential additions beginning July 1.