BREAKING: Blackhawks Re-Sign Ryan Donato

The Chicago Blackhawks and forward Ryan Donato have agreed to a four-year, $16 million contract extension. This will keep the versatile 29-year-old in Chicago through the 2028-29 seasons with a reasonable $4 million cap hit.

“Ryan brings energy and competes hard every game, which has been a huge asset to our team over the last two seasons,” Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson said. “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 spent last summer improving his speed and skating, which paid off. He scored a career-high 31 goals and 62 points, shattering his old high marks of 16 and 31. There was a lot of debate on whether to trade him at the deadline last March, but Davidson rightfully held on to him. Some fans began to panic when a contract wasn’t immediately signed, but the deal is now done. Donato likely could have gotten a bigger contract on the open market, but has always been open about staying put.

Continuity is a big deal when trying to build a core. You cannot just keep a revolving door of veteran forwards going. Re-signing Donato shows that the organization will reward those who put in the work and show the results, and not just trade you for a draft pick. He was a valuable player last season, who can play anywhere in the lineup and never takes a shift off. He has security and big money for the first time in his career. Let’s hope he lives up to it.