This Chicago Blackhawks Forward Must Be Traded By Next Week

Ryan Donato is a Blackhawks player who has worked his way up the ranks from last season.

Starting with the Blackhawks as a depth forward, he found himself cast into a new role for the team.

Serving on the team's first line, and on the Blackhawks' first power-play unit he's become a valuable player.

Now, this season, he's set a career-high in total points with 37 (19 G, 18 A) and has shown no signs of stopping.

In the last 26 games, he's tallied 21 points for the Blackhawks, something unheard of for him last year.

While this might not be his prime, he's having a career year at the age of 28. That is why GM Kyle Davidson should take advantage of his trade value and move him sooner, rather than later.

There's a sentiment that the team should re-sign him, but given his age and his current play, it won't last.

This is why the team should find a suitor by the trade deadline and retrieve what assets they can for him to push the rebuild into the next stage.

He's currently ranked 16th-best as far as players available on the trade market by The Athletic.

We're unsure what kind of draft pick GM Kyle Davidson could get in return, but discussion with interested parties is one he should be having with them already.

The team could retain some percentage of his salary to sweeten the return, but if you can get a third-round pick, they must do so to find more key players who can fill out the prospect pool.

If the team is to learn from Jason Dickinson's situation--he's gone back to being a checking forward instead of a goal-scorer--they shouldn't offer the pending UFA an extension.

Instead, trade him to a Stanley Cup contender and build with the assets.