Blackhawks Extend Ryan Donato With A Four-Year Deal

During the 2024-25 season, Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato had a career year. He scored 31 goals and was one of the most productive players on a team that needed someone to step up. 

Donato brought a winning attitude when there wasn’t a lot of winning going on. Whether it was the lethargic first half of the season or the exciting, youthful second half, Donato played very well.

In addition to those 31 goals, Donato also had 31 assists for 62 points. Connor Bedard was the only Blackhawks player with more. 

Halfway through the season, when he was on pace for 30 goals, lots of people wondered when he’d slow down. He never did. After being scratched twice in October, Donato played every game for the rest of the season. He worked hard to take his game to the next level, and it paid off for him.

When he continued to play well down the stretch, it became clear that he was going to get a raise if he became an unrestricted free agent over the summer. 

On Wednesday, the Blackhawks announced that he won’t even get that far. He is getting a four-year extension with a cap hit of $4 million. This is well deserved. 

“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.”

Out of the four teams he’s played for (Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, Chicago Blackhawks), Chicago has been the best fit. 

At 29 years old, Donato has a lot of good hockey left in the tank. He may never have 30 goals or 60 points again (he did both for the first time in 2024-25), but he will be a solid leader who brings high-end effort every night.