New Blackhawks Centre Excited to Join the Team

The Chicago Blackhawks made that decision and have been selling off as much talent as possible over the past year or two, positioning themselves as best as possible to become the front-runner to win the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.

Now that the draft has passed and they have acquired Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks are continuing to add to their team, including players like Nick Felino, Taylor Hall, Corey Perry, and now they've added centerman Ryan Donato.

Donato was drafted in the 2014 NHL draft in the second round, 56th overall. He has played for numerous teams, including Boston, Minnesota, San Jose, and Seattle. In the 2022-2023 season, he played 71 games, scored fourteen goals, and had 13 assists for 21 points. His role is usually in the bottom six and predominantly for penalty killing.

The Blackhawks decided to sign him to a $2 million contract for two years. Deals like this provide great depth, as they can be moved at the trade deadline if necessary.

It can be retained over the time of his deal and help develop young players as they come in from the minors. Donato feels that he can contribute to the new Blackhawks lineup, and Connor Bedard's addition to this group gave him a reason to sign with the team.