The Chicago Blackhawks are poised for a notable advancement in their rebuilding efforts this season, thanks to the addition of new players over the summer designed to support Connor Bedard. Nick Foligno has been named captain and is expected to guide the team’s growth. Despite these changes, returning players have a chance to prove themselves and establish their roles on a team aiming for improvement.
One player vying for this opportunity is Ryan Donato. He has expressed a strong desire to remain with the Blackhawks once his two-year contract ends, aware that hard work and consistency are essential as competition for roster spots intensifies.
Ryan and his wife, Bradley, are seeking stability after experiencing five different homes in the last six years, particularly after welcoming their first child in September. This new family dynamic adds motivation for Donato to secure a long-term contract, though he has always prioritized hard work. As he approached the 2024-25 training camp, he expressed the importance of settling down and contributing to his teammates’ success, which could increase his chances of a long-term position.
General manager Kyle Davidson outlined what Donato needs to accomplish. Ideally, he should fit into a middle or bottom-six role while pushing to meet the team’s performance standards. Donato, originally drafted 56th overall by the Boston Bruins in 2016, possesses talent, but the Blackhawks need him to deliver reliable forward play and depth, with offensive contributions being a supplementary benefit. To remain in Chicago, he must demonstrate his ability to fulfill this role.
Although it’s early in the season to draw conclusions, Donato’s performance in the Blackhawks’ first five games offers some insight. He played in the first three games, scoring one goal and averaging around 11 to 14 minutes of ice time, while recording nine hits and a minus-1 rating. His performance hasn’t been remarkable, but it also hasn’t been poor.
However, his performance is judged against the standards set by Davidson. The Blackhawks had a record of 1-2 with Donato in the lineup before he was a healthy scratch for the last two games, indicating he may not have met management’s expectations. It’s worth noting that not all responsibility falls on him; head coach Luke Richardson is experimenting with various bottom-six forwards.
Ultimately, Donato needs to prove his value. His minus-1 rating may suggest a need for greater defensive reliability, especially given the Blackhawks’ defensive struggles; they allow roughly 80 shots per 60 minutes while he’s on the ice, the highest among forwards. These stats indicate that Donato is facing challenges in offensive creation as well as in defense.
While these figures can paint a negative picture of Donato’s contributions, it’s still too soon to draw definitive conclusions. However, being scratched twice suggests that something is lacking in his game.
Donato’s goal is to establish a long-term future for his family through a contract with the Blackhawks. With his skills and strong work ethic, this is an achievable goal, but it remains to be seen if he can transform into the reliable, two-way forward the team requires. With just three games so far this season, he has shown potential but also left enough questions to warrant inconsistency in his lineup presence.
Ryan’s father, Ted Donato, emphasized the importance of focusing on controllable factors to maximize success opportunities. Ryan understands that he can position himself for success this season, and there remains plenty of time for him to capitalize on this opportunity.
