In a Chicago Blackhawks game against the Winnipeg Jets last October, both teams were struggling to create shots. Forward Ryan Donato came to the rescue as he collected a pass that bounced off the side of the rink. He zoomed past Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg and hit a beautiful wrist shot from the faceoff circle, giving the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Three weeks later, time was winding down in the third period versus the Los Angeles Kings. From the right side of the ice, Donato slid a centering pass to forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who scored a tying goal with 30 seconds remaining in regulation. The shifty Donato then used every move he could think of in the shootout, ending the game with a goal to the left side of the net in the Hawks’ 4-3 win.
It was a common pattern last season that Donato provided a boost when the Hawks needed one. His growth in all areas could make the rebuild smoother under first-year coach Jeff Blashill — beginning with Tuesday’s season opener against the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers (4 p.m., ESPN).
Last season’s career-best numbers may be hard to replicate for the 29-year-old Donato, but he knows he wants to produce at that level.
“I put in a lot of work this summer and (I’m) continuing trying to grow and not be complacent,” Donato said. “In terms of what I did last year, it obviously was great, but I’m looking to build off that and hopefully I can work hard and do the right things.”
The 6-foot, 190-pound Boston native joined the Hawks in 2023 after seven seasons with four teams — the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken. He had only one season with more than 30 points before arriving in Chicago.
In his first season with the Hawks, Donato set then-personal bests in assists (18) and average ice time (14:00), creating opportunities for his younger teammates to finish plays.
Last season, it was Donato’s turn to put the cherry on top. He was more aggressive with his solo playmaking without losing his generosity, leading to improved numbers for teammates.
He finished the season with career highs in goals (31), assists (31), points (62), average ice time (16:19) and games played (80). He had 46 games with at least one point, including 11 with two or more.
The Hawks won 17 of those 46 games (37%), compared with eight wins in 36 games (22.2%) when Donato didn’t show up on the scoresheet or didn’t play. When he had two or more points, the Hawks were 5-4-2. It’s a small difference but it signals the team is better when Donato is at his best.
“I’m trying to exceed,” Donato said of his 2024-25 season. “If you kind of aim for consistency, that’s fine. But for me, I want to continue to grow.
“If I can grow and continue to work off the year that I had last year and help the younger guys while I do it, that’s when good things happen and hopefully they’ll help the team.”
The surge in his play brought interest from around the league during trade season. In June, he signed a four-year, $16 million extension through the 2028-29 season, a $4 million average annual value. Donato had expressed his desire to remain a Hawk before the extension.
“We would have liked to be in the playoffs, and (that’s) something to push for, but definitely happy with the results,” Donato said at the end of the season. “But I always think there’s room to grow for me and something that I want to do this year.”
He will skate on the top line alongside Connor Bedard and André Burakovsky. The veteran skaters accompanying Bedard can raise the center’s game to a new level, and Donato’s consistent scoring can take weight off the young star’s shoulders.
“There’s a lot of combinations and lines that are in the mix, and you don’t really know until you play in real game situations,” Donato said. “I’ve had chemistry with a lot of guys in this team, but at the same time, it always depends on the year.”
In a statement at the time of Donato’s extension, general manager Kyle Davidson shared his confidence in the forward’s abilities.
“Ryan brings energy and competes hard every game, which has been a huge asset to our team over the last two seasons,” 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 put his chips in the middle of the table, staying with the Hawks during their development. If he plays like he did last season, that rebuild could be shorter than anticipated.