If the Blackhawks do commerce Ryan Donato, they’ll get fairly a bit for him.
That has develop into clear on account of Donato’s continued robust play, an imbalance of many patrons and few sellers and several other precedent-setting trades which have already occurred across the NHL.
Nevertheless it’s simply as seemingly the Hawks maintain Donato previous the trade deadline at 2 p.m. Friday and attempt to re-sign him, now that their focus has shifted extra towards the current and away from accumulating an limitless provide of draft picks.
Opinions inside and across the group are cut up on which path ahead concerning Donato, a pending free agent, could be wiser.
Hawks basic supervisor Kyle Davidson hasn’t tipped his hand but, however he have to be excited in regards to the “sellers’ market” that has solidified. The Kraken obtained an unlimited haul from the Lightning in a Wednesday blockbuster, for instance, getting two first-round picks and a second-round decide for middle-six forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde.
Extra relevant to the Donato state of affairs is a Tuesday commerce during which the Bruins despatched scrappy depth ahead Trent Frederic to the Oilers for second- and fourth-round picks. That marked a large return for Frederic, who, regardless of his intangibles, has tallied solely 15 factors this season.
Donato, by comparability, has tallied 45 factors, together with 21 in his final 16 video games. His 17 targets throughout five-on-five play put him tied for eleventh within the league getting into Wednesday, forward of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Ovechkin and a ton of different stars.
At this level, a second-round decide due to this fact looks as if the minimal worth for Donato, whose $2 million salary-cap hit gained’t deter anybody. Even a first-round decide, maybe with circumstances connected or with a late-round decide accompanying Donato, is now conceivable.
That lofty worth is the strongest argument for buying and selling Donato, who has been an under-the-radar journeyman most of his profession and appeared unlikely to garner greater than a third-round decide only a month or two in the past. This totally marks a sell-high alternative for the Hawks.
On Wednesday, nonetheless, Donato — who way back bored with answering commerce deadline-related questions — talked in regards to the Hawks’ longer-term future past this season as if he foresees himself being part of it.
The chance to assist construct a successful tradition in Chicago continues to enchantment to him, in distinction to different gamers (like Seth Jones) who’ve grown weary of the fixed dropping. He has discovered a distinct segment along with his fifth NHL franchise and appears genuinely invested in serving to it succeed.
Plus, Donato’s every-night work ethic fosters that successful tradition. If each Hawk hustled as a lot as Donato has all season, the group in all probability wouldn’t be in thirty first place. Put collectively, these elements kind an equally robust argument for maintaining him.
If that occurs, the Hawks will nearly actually must commerce one other ahead or two, since they should by some means clear NHL roster spots for a number of ahead prospects anticipated to go away faculty and switch professional late this season: Ryan Greene, Dominic James (if he begins his professional contract instantly) and Oliver Moore (if he does flip professional this 12 months).
Injured veteran forwards Nick Foligno (again), Philipp Kurashev (hand) and Jason Dickinson (ankle) all skated Wednesday morning in non-contact jerseys, including to the upcoming roster logjam. Interim coach Anders Sorensen stated Foligno particularly might return as quickly as Friday in opposition to Utah.
Different doable trade-bait forwards for the Hawks are Craig Smith, Pat Maroon and Lukas Reichel.
Smith and Maroon each fall in the identical bucket. As fourth-liners on expiring contracts nearing the top of their careers, they might fetch a late-round decide at finest.
Buying and selling Reichel could be far more sophisticated and controversial. However as the previous first-round decide’s growth plateaus, Davidson may imagine he wants a change of surroundings.
