Ryan Donato turns into intriguing trade chip for the Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan Donato held four pucks in his right hand — one for each of his career-high four points — and posed for a picture to commemorate the occasion.

It was another memorable moment in a career-best season for Donato. And quite possibly, one of his last with the Chicago Blackhawks.

With Chicago going nowhere at its break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Donato has become an intriguing trade chip ahead of the March 7 deadline. The 28-year-old forward has a career-high 19 goals and 37 points in 53 games.

“He’s usually one of the first guys at the rink and takes care of himself and he’s very detailed in terms of how he prepares himself,” interim Chicago coach Anders Sorensen said, “but also within our team as a group, he asks questions and he kind of relays messages on the bench and in the locker room as well.”

Donato is eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season. He signed a $4 million, two-year contract with the Blackhawks in 2023.

Asked about staying focused amid the trade rumors, Donato said he tries not to read into anything.

“I always say we have the best jobs in the world, right? We’re NHL hockey players,” he said.

“I just know God has a plan for me. Come to work every day and give it my all.”

Donato, a Boston native and Harvard University product on his fifth NHL team, has created a tricky situation for Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson.

At 17-31-7, the Blackhawks have the second-worst record in the league, and Donato could be an attractive option for a contender looking for an experienced depth forward and penalty killer. It’s a chance for Davidson to add another prospect to the team’s rich development system.

But Donato is versatile and relentless, a positive example for Chicago’s young forwards, and he also has some chemistry with Connor Bedard. His continued presence might be more valuable for the Blackhawks at this point than whatever draft pick he would bring back in a trade. The team could try for a contract extension with Donato.

“He works his tail off and he’s always going, so just being able to see that competitive side pay off and how that works at this level is really awesome,” said forward Frank Nazar, who turned 21 on Jan. 14.

While Donato has played on two losing teams in Chicago, he is hoping he has played a role in building a positive foundation for the Blackhawks.

“I want to do the right things, be a mentor for some of the younger guys,” he said. “I know how hard it is, especially when you’re not winning every night. It’s tough. But I think at the same time, we have a lot of great leaders in this room, guys that I look up to too, and there’s definitely a good group of guys in here.”

Donato posted at least 27 points in each of the previous three seasons, including 12 goals and 18 assists in his first year with Chicago. He worked on his skating over the summer, and it looks as if that offseason training is paying off.

He has six goals and seven assists in his last 10 games, giving him 202 points for his career. He had two goals and two assists in a 6-2 victory over Nashville on Friday night — leading to the celebratory photo. He scored again in a 6-5 shootout loss at St. Louis on Saturday night.

“He’s awesome right now,” defenseman Seth Jones said after the win over the Predators. “He’s working hard. He always has that work ethic and that’s where his game really stems from. And he gets rewarded because of the work he puts in, day in and day out, during the season.”

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