It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re nearing the March 7 trade deadline and that means plenty of trade chatter between now and then. Some teams are falling out of contention and that means some of their players could be put up on the trade block. We’ve already seen some major deals made in the last few weeks. However, more could be in the pipeline as we move towards the big day. One team that could continue to move players in the Chicago Blackhawks. This edition of NHL rumours deals with one particular player that could be in demand.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Chicago Blackhawks Forward Could Have Trade Value
Rumour: Blackhawks beat writers Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus discussed the trade value of forward Ryan Donato for the upcoming trade deadline.
Analysis: Donato has been putting together a great season on a team that’s been struggling this season. The Boston native has 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 50 games heading into Wednesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.
We’ve seen Donato’s trade value go up despite not being on many insiders’ trade boards at first. However, his strong play as of late has made him a possibly valuable commodity for the upcoming deadline. Seeing the recent run of trade activity has taken a few important names off the board when it comes to early March.
This means Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson could be fielding some phone calls on the soon-to-be 29-year-old forward. The Harvard University grad and son of former NHLer Ted Donato currently sixth on Chris Johnston’s latest edition of his big trade board. This is a stunning rise in the last few weeks. He was listed as eighth on the board, but deals involving J.T. Miller and Marcus Pettersson have moved Donato up in the rankings.
Chicago would just be making another move as it tries to retool. We’ve already seen Davidson deal Taylor Hall to the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster.
What It Means
Donato only sits one goal from his career-best in goals, which he set in the 2021-22 season with the Seattle Kraken. His consistent play has come on a team that could be in the mix for another high draft lottery selection.
One thing teams will like about having Donato on the roster is his relentless compete level. Johnston mentioned that it “appears to have made some strides with his skating this season and has the hands to bury offensive chances when he gets them.”
Those improvements in his game may make him attractive to a team looking for some forward depth at the deadline. He’s steadily gotten better in the last few seasons and has thrived with increased ice time.
Another thing that could work in favour of a deal is Donato being an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. This could make him an attractive rental for a team. He also comes in at an attractive $2 million price tag. This could make a relatively low-cost option for teams looking to add some depth scoring in the coming weeks.
Main photo by: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
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