Why Blackhawks must re-sign Ryan Donato after NHL Trade Deadline

The Blackhawks drafted their new franchise cornerstone in the 2023 NHL Draft, selecting Bedard as the first overall pick. Bedard hasn’t had the start to his NHL career that he had hoped for, and Chicago must ensure they are doing right by their budding superstar. It’s a fine line to walk, as the Blackhawks are trying to have a successful rebuild while also winning enough to keep the uber-competitive Bedard happy.

Is all the talk about Bedard’s unhappiness overblown? Maybe, but Kyle Davidson also doesn’t want to risk discovering what happens when it’s not overblown. Bedard and Donato have found chemistry this season, setting up Donato to blow his previous career high of points out of the water. If he is what Bedard is looking for in a linemate, the Blackhawks should do whatever they can to keep him in the fold.

There is a chance that Donato’s success this season will elevate him to a level the Blackhawks aren’t willing to pay. If they can, it’d be wise to get Donato on a long-term deal, which would knock down the average annual salary and hopefully make him an affordable player for the future.

If the Blackhawks sign him to a short-term deal, they risk alienating Bedard by the pair developing their chemistry even further but being unable to pay Donato’s raise in two to three years. Likewise, if they overpay on a medium-length contract, they could see Donato’s numbers drop off from this year’s pace, and then they are stuck with an albatross of a deal. It’ll be a sensitive subject regarding Donato’s deal, but the best path still looks to be keeping him.

The Blackhawks didn’t cash in at the trade deadline

The Blackhawks could’ve received a fine haul for Donato if they had capitalized on the interest in him at the trade deadline. There were plenty of rumors leading up to the deadline that teams were inquiring about Donato’s availability. In the end, the last-place Blackhawks decided to keep the player.

The Blackhawks have made some questionable decisions regarding their personnel. However, it’d be a disaster to hold Donato through the deadline and then let him walk. The Blackhawks must figure out a deal with Donato soon without letting him get to free agency.

The Blackhawks aren’t able to hold players for a playoff push. They are nowhere near a playoff berth, and mismanaging assets isn’t getting them closer to their goal of being contenders. There is no other reason to explain not trading Donato at the deadline than that they have plans for him in the future.

You look at other deals at the trade deadline. The Bruins traded their captain because they feared a deal wouldn’t be made before free agency, and he’d walk for nothing. All the Bruins received for that deal was a conditional first-round draft pick. If Davidson didn’t trade Donato because the return wasn’t good enough, it would look like a giant disaster if he walked into free agency. For a rebuilding team, any asset is good if it’s in exchange for someone leaving.