The list of UFAs this offseason isn't expected to be that great, especially after Mikko Rantanen got taken off the board when the Dallas Stars traded for him and signed him, but the Chicago Blackhawks have one of the best and sneakiest pending UFAs on their team that they have to work to get signed before the team loses him.
Ryan Donato (Matt Marton-Imagn Images)
There is reportedly a difference in length and money between the Blackhawks and Donato, and that is why the team has yet to sign him. After giving out multi-millions to Corey Perry, Alec Martinez, and TJ Brodie in recent years, a little bit more to bring back a player that Donato has proven to be for the Blackhawks should be an easy decision.
Amongst upcoming UFAs around the league this summer, Donato is impressively second in goals with 31. He is behind only John Tavares, who has scored the most goals in a season since his first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs (47) in 2018-19.
Donato is playing so much better than expected this season, and thus, producing more and scoring more than not only a number of the top UFAs this coming offseason, but a ton of players in general.
The 29-year-old has more goals than upcoming UFAs like Matt Duchene (30), Mitch Marner (26), Brock Nelson (26), Sam Bennett (25), Brock Boeser (25), and Nikolaj Ehlers (24).
That list also happens to be the short group of pending UFAs that the Blackhawks should check in with after getting their work done with Donato. While having to find a way to keep Donato, Chicago needs to add at least another higher end player to push forward.
