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Ryan Donato

Ryan Donato Signs With Seattle

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Sep 13: The Kraken have officially announced the contract, confirming the $750K salary. GM Ron Francis released a short statement on Donato:

Ryan’s hockey sense and ability to contribute on the scoresheet are two ingredients we are excited to add to our forward group. We like his offensive potential and believe he can add scoring depth.

Sep 12: Seattle has added to their forward depth heading into their inaugural training camp as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they’ve inked forward Ryan Donato to a one-year deal.  The one-way contract pays the league minimum salary of $750K.

The 25-year-old is coming off a disappointing season with San Jose.  He managed just six goals along with 14 assists in 50 games with the Sharks while rarely being able to make it into the top six.  That led them to not tender a $2.15MM qualifying offer earlier this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Considering that Donato has shown the ability to be a serviceable depth scorer in the past, this is a nice low-risk move for the Kraken.  He’ll give them some extra depth on the wing and actually becomes one of their younger players.  With a decent showing this season, he could also be controlled through restricted free agency although he’ll once again have salary arbitration rights.

Seattle GM Ron Francis has been active in adding forwards through free agency this summer.  Donato becomes the fifth NHL roster forward to join the Kraken via the open market, joining Jaden Schwartz, Alexander Wennberg, Marcus Johansson, and Riley Sheahan.  With nearly $7MM in cap space per CapFriendly, they have the cap room to continue to add although roster spots will be hard to come by given their depth, particularly on the back end.

Free Agent Profile: Ryan Donato

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Early in his career, it looked like Ryan Donato was going to be a player who could be a capable secondary scorer for Boston.  However, his production has stagnated which has resulted in a couple of trades already with San Jose opting to non-tender him over issuing a $2.15MM qualifying offer earlier this summer, sending him to the open market.

While every player still unsigned has their flaws, it is a little surprising that Donato old remains unsigned.  His 20 points are the most of any remaining UFA that doesn’t already have ties to the Islanders as they look to see how long they can go without officially announcing any signings and at 25, he’s the youngest regular NHL player on the open market.

Last season was a tough one for Donato.  Joining the Sharks seemed like a good fit for him as he’d have a chance to play a bit of a bigger role than he did with Minnesota.  That did indeed happen but the playing time only increased marginally as he still found himself on the fourth line at times.  The end result was just six goals which is likely why they opted to try someone else in his spot instead.

Still, while there aren’t many players with upside still unsigned, there’s a case to be made that Donato is one of them.  He has reached at least 20 points in his three full professional seasons and is only a year removed from a 14-goal campaign with the Wild.  It’s a limited track record for sure but there’s definitely a case for someone to bring him in.

Stats

2020-21: 50 GP, 6-14-20, -10 rating, 10 PIMS, 104 shots, 47.6 CF%, 12:37 ATOI
Career: 180 GP, 35-42-77, -18 rating, 30 PIMS, 362 shots, 50.9 CF%, 12:24 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Unlike some veteran players who are better fits on playoff-bound teams, no such restriction exists for Donato.  He could serve as a depth piece for those teams or catch on with a weaker team that has a chance to give him a bigger role and allow him to restore some value.  Donato is still controllable through 2023 which puts him in a spot like Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Duclair were a year ago, non-tenders that had another year of control remaining; both of them eventually signed a second deal with their teams.

In the East, a team like Buffalo or Detroit that is still rebuilding could be a fit in terms of hoping that he pans out into a potentially longer-term fit.  Among teams with playoff aspirations, Toronto could use him similar to what they wanted to do with Jimmy Vesey and Alex Galchenyuk last season as an offensive piece that they hope to get a bit of surplus value out of for a cost that’s close to the minimum.

Out West, Anaheim and Nashville are teams that haven’t exactly bolstered their offenses and while Donato isn’t going to make a big difference, any small upgrade would be helpful while both teams could benefit if he does well enough to earn a qualifying offer next summer.  Seattle’s forward group could use a bit more offensive upside in their bottom six while Edmonton could use Donato as a low-cost replacement for Dominik Kahun, a player who was brought in to try and improve their offensive depth last fall.

Projected Contract

Donato’s non-tender came after the voting for our Top 50 UFA list although he may very well have made it on there had his release come earlier.  It’s hard to see any viable multi-year offers coming his way so a one-year contract is likely all he’ll wind up with.  Something around the $1MM mark would make him fit on the cap for many teams although if he wants to land with a contender, Donato may have to take a little less than that even.  While there are questions regarding many of the remaining free agents as to whether or not they’ll make it on a roster for next season, that shouldn’t be the case with Donato.  His stock has certainly dropped but it’s only a matter of time before someone takes a chance on Donato.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Kuznetsov, Kraken, Boucher, Donato

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It has been a tough season for Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov.  He missed time earlier this season due to COVID-19 (and is back on the CPRA list today) while being benched for last night’s contest as well for team disciplinary purposes.  On top of that, he has underwhelmed offensively with 29 points in 41 games.  Accordingly, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic noted in the latest TSN Insider Trading segment (video link) that Washington may be willing to listen to offers on the 28-year-old this summer.  While a season like this doesn’t help his value, it’s once again a quiet UFA market in terms of impact centers so there would certainly be plenty of interest in Kuznetsov’s services, even though he carries a $7.8MM AAV through 2024-25 and a 15-team no-trade clause at a time where cap space will be limited for many teams.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • For the upcoming expansion draft, the Kraken have to select at least $48.9MM in contracts. One thing that they’ll need to keep in mind with who they select will be signing bonuses as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 31 Thoughts column that if they select someone who had a July 1st bonus paid, Seattle will have to repay that signing bonus to the original team.  Knowing that who they pick could cost cap space and a cash repayment to the team they took the player from could certainly affect some of their selections.
  • Winger Reid Boucher is receiving some interest from NHL teams, Friedman reports in the same column. The 27-year-old has been a strong point producer in the minors but after playing just one NHL game over the previous two seasons, Boucher went overseas and joined Avangard Omsk of the KHL.  Not surprisingly, he was quite productive there this season, leading the team in scoring with 24 goals and 24 assists in 51 games.  There should be lots of interest from teams looking for a productive veteran to play in the minors but he may be hard-pressed to find a team willing to give him a long look at an NHL opportunity.
  • The Sharks are expected to hold contract talks with winger Ryan Donato once the season comes to an end, notes Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. The 25-year-old is in his first season with San Jose since coming over from Minnesota in an offseason trade and has managed just six goals and 14 assists in 50 games this season.  Owed a $2.15MM qualifying offer this summer, the fact he has arbitration eligibility puts him in that zone where it could be deemed too risky to tender him an offer.  With that in mind, early talks to see if something can be agreed to beforehand certainly makes a lot of sense.

Trade Rumors: Penguins, Mete, Bjork

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Amidst the shocking news that Jim Rutherford had resigned as GM of Pittsburgh Penguins, it is easy to forget that this was a team that less than a week ago was reported as being active on the trade market. While ownership suddenly needs to focus on the long-term welfare of the franchise by finding a new GM, the Penguins are still in need of defense in the short-term. While Rutherford’s final move was to find a stopgap in free agent addition Yannick Weber, that might not be enough. The Pittsburgh blue line has been devastated by injuries early this season with Michael Matheson, Juuso Riikola, and Zach Trotman on injured reserve, Marcus Pettersson also officially out, and Brian Dumoulin injured in last night’s game. Even the thought-to-be-healthy John Marino was missing at practice today. What’s left is a group that is almost entirely right-handed, including the newcomer Weber, and includes a struggling Cody Ceci and an untested rookie in Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins need to to continue to be on the look out for help on the back end. With that said, NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz doubts that interim GM Patrick Allvin will have the authority to make a trade, until they potentially remove the interim tag that is. In the meantime, can the Penguins afford to stand pat in a shortened season facing tougher playoff odds and a more difficult division? Can they withstand extended absences from their current injured defenders? Unless owner Mario Lemieux decides to step in and pull the strings while also making a decision on his next GM, they may not have an option but to stick it out.

  • Through their first six games of the season, the Montreal Canadiens have yet to lose in regulation and have earned 10 of a possible 12 points. Everyone in Montreal is happy so far this year, that is except defenseman Victor Mete. With the team rolling on all cylinders, the Habs have had no reason to change out their starting six defenseman. In fact, there has been only one lineup change among skaters for one single game thus far. The Canadiens do not want to lose the promising, young Mete on waivers, but so far that has left 22-year-old sitting in the press box for every game. If Montreal continues to win and stay healthy, then there is also no reason for that to change. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has taken notice and he’s not alone. Friedman reports that there is interest in Mete across the league and offers will be coming to Montreal soon, if they haven’t already. After losing Noah Juulsen on waivers earlier this year, the Habs may be hesitant to part with another young defenseman whose career has been impacted by injuries but could be primed for a breakout. However, if Mete won’t get any opportunity to shine in Montreal, they may as well move him. After all, he will likely be available for free to the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft anyway.
  • If there is one thing that has quietly defined the Don Sweeney administration in Boston, it is that they are not afraid to move young forwards who are unable to carve out a consistent role in the lineup. In consecutive years, the Bruins have traded away Frank Vatrano, Ryan Donato, and Danton Heinen, each of whom was struggling and bouncing around the lineup prior to being moved. Now, Anders Bjork could be the next name on that list. The team has liked the upside of Bjork, 24, and made that clear with a three-year, $4.8MM contract this summer. However, injury and inconsistency has made it hard to get a good look at the player. Now healthy and in the starting lineup through six games this season, that look hasn’t been good. Bjork has played on several different lines and with different line mates but nothing has clicked. He has zero points and just two shots on goal and hasn’t made a major impact defensively either. With the emergence of rookies Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic as NHL-ready assets and the upcoming injury returns of David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, there won’t be space left in the lineup for Bjork. Multiple sources are now reporting that in anticipation of this result, interest is growing in the young winger. Bjork may not be a fit in Boston right now, but as a player with positional and two-way versatility and under team control for several years, a number of teams could be interested in taking a chance. With a lineup that is looking pretty complete so far this season, Bjork may also come cheap with the Bruins opting for a pick or prospect rather than a roster player in return.

San Jose Sharks Acquire Devan Dubnyk

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In their second trade of the day, the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild have announced that Devan Dubnyk is heading to California. The Wild will receive a 2022 fifth-round pick in return, while the Sharks will receive a 2022 seventh-round selection in addition to the veteran goaltender. Minnesota will also be retaining half of Dubnyk’s remaining $4.33MM cap hit for the 2020-21 season.

The two teams completed an earlier trade that saw Ryan Donato go to San Jose in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement on the latest deal:

Devan has been one of the League’s top goaltenders for many years and after playing so many years in the Western Conference, is someone our hockey staff is very familiar with. As we head into what will surely be a unique season, his acquisition gives us a high-quality and experienced tandem of netminders.

For the Sharks, this means the team will have an experienced tandem, but one that will need drastic performance improvements next season. The team’s starter Martin Jones has now posted back-to-back seasons with an .896 save percentage, allowing 394 goals in 103 appearances. That save percentage was third-worst in the NHL last season among goaltenders with at least 30 appearances, ahead of Pekka Rinne and, unfortunately, Dubnyk. The Minnesota netminder posted a dreadful .890 in his 30 games for the Wild, though does at least have several recent strong seasons to fall back on. In 2018-19, when Jones was still struggling, Dubnyk posted a .913 save percentage in a league-leading 67 appearances for Minnesota.

Amazingly, these two goaltenders finished fifth and sixth in Vezina Trophy voting in 2017. While it seems unlikely they can get back to that level in 2020, it’s not necessarily out of the question. With Jones signed for four more seasons at a $5.75MM cap hit, the Sharks will try everything to get him back to playing at a high level. Dubnyk meanwhile comes in at a relatively inexpensive $2.17MM cap hit after the salary retention, plus is actually set to earn even less in actual salary.

The Sharks also paid a very low price for the acquisition, swapping a pick two rounds up for the chance to see what Dubnyk can do in San Jose. That’s almost nothing, though given the overflowing goaltending market this offseason this acquisition certainly won’t excite many fans.

For Minnesota, moving on from Dubnyk was an obvious move for GM Bill Guerin. The team wants to get younger and provide opportunities for some of their prospects, which could include reigning AHL Goaltender of the Year Kaapo Kahkonen. The Wild also still have Alex Stalock under contract for two seasons at just a $785K cap hit. Kahkonen, who is just 24 and coming off an outstanding season in the AHL in which he posted a .927 save percentage, is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent in need of a new deal. Whether he can handle the starting job isn’t clear, but with Dubnyk out of the way, there is a clear path to the net.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minnesota, San Jose Complete Ryan Donato Trade

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11:20am: The deal has been officially announced. Donato will head to San Jose in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick.

10:09am: The Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks have been working on several trades over the last week and are closing in on at least one of them. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the two sides will soon announce a trade that will see Ryan Donato head to the Sharks in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick. Devan Dubnyk, who the two sides have also discussed, will be in a separate trade if they can complete it.

Donato, 24, will be heading to the third NHL organization of his young career after previously being traded from the Boston Bruins in 2019. The 2014 second-round pick made one of the most electrifying debuts of the last few years after starring at Harvard and on the Olympic stage, but hasn’t been able to reproduce that magic on a regular basis. In 130 NHL games he has just 57 points and found himself on the fourth line or in the press box on several occasions this season.

That certainly doesn’t mean he won’t take his game to another level in San Jose, but the Wild have clearly made a decision to change the makeup of their forward group. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin has already traded Eric Staal and let Mikko Koivu depart through free agency, acquiring Marcus Johansson and Nick Bjugstad in the process. Donato and his $1.9MM cap hit will head to San Jose for a draft pick, opening up another roster spot for one of the team’s other young forwards.

San Jose of course is looking for ways to rebound after a brutal 2019-20 campaign that saw them score just 180 goals in 70 games. Timo Meier led the club with 49 points and Evander Kane was the only player who could score consistently on the powerplay. Donato will likely have an opportunity to play up in the lineup for the Sharks, who have their own youth movement happening upfront after watching Joe Pavelski leave last offseason. Melker Karlsson and Joe Thornton—two of the team’s three remaining 30-plus forwards—are both unrestricted free agents that could be looking for new homes come Friday.

Minnesota Wild Shopping Ryan Donato

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Oct 1: Russo updated his piece today with a report that Donato and Dubnyk could both be on their way to the San Jose Sharks in short order. The deal may be hinging on Dubnyk’s partial no-trade clause, which allows him to list 19 teams that he can be traded to. The 34-year-old goaltender has just one year remaining on his contract and carries a $4.33MM cap hit, but is owed just $2.5MM in actual salary.

Sep 30: The Minnesota Wild are one of the teams to watch over the next several weeks. GM Bill Guerin has been anything but shy in revamping his roster, with Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu already on their way out and Nick Bjugstad and Marcus Johansson in. Now he’s looking move another forward, as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Ryan Donato is being shopped.

The San Jose Sharks have shown interest according to Russo, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also suggested that the Florida Panthers could be looking at the Paul Fenton favorite. Fenton was the GM of the Wild when they acquired Donato in 2019 and is now an assistant GM in Florida.

Donato, who is now 24, has long been an intriguing talent without much to show for it. The 56th overall pick in 2014, he quickly became one of the best collegiate players in the country, challenging for the Hobey Baker award in 2018. That same year he suited up for Team USA at the Olympics and made his dazzling NHL debut, scoring three points for the Boston Bruins and instantly becoming a fan favorite.

Unfortunately, that instant success didn’t carry over to the next season. Donato had just nine points in 34 games for the Bruins in 2018-19 before a trade sent him to the Wild. He made an early impression in Minnesota too with 16 points in 22 games down the stretch, but this year found himself on the fourth line or in the press box more often than not.

With just 23 points in 62 games and a roller-coaster history, it’s not clear what Donato’s real trade value would be. One thing in the Wild’s favor is his cost—he’ll carry a $1.9MM cap hit in 2020-21 before becoming a restricted free agent once again.

As for the other trade targets on the Wild roster, Russo provides updates on Matt Dumba, Devan Dubnyk, and Zach Parise in his lengthy piece. Each presents their own challenges and none appear to be imminent.

Wild Make Three Forwards Available

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Wild GM Bill Guerin is still getting a sense for his team but it appears there are some players he’s open to moving on from.  Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Minnesota has made forwards Ryan Donato, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Kevin Fiala available.

Two of those players were fairly recent acquisitions of former GM Paul Fenton who brought them in through a pair of trades back in February in advance of the trade deadline.  However, those acquisitions were questioned at the time and neither player is off to a particularly strong start this season.

Donato just became waiver-eligible on Thursday when he played in his 80th career NHL game (regular season and playoffs).  He has shown flashes of being able to contribute in the NHL both early in his time with Boston as a rookie and Minnesota last season.  However, the results haven’t been too strong in between.  Nonetheless, given that he’s only 23 with a manageable contract at $1.9MM per season for two years, he should have some suitors around the league.

As for Eriksson Ek, he hasn’t lived up to his draft billing that saw him go 20th overall back in 2015.  While he is a capable defensive center, the production hasn’t been there as he has just 38 points in 155 career regular season games.  He’s currently on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury but did skate with the team on Friday so it appears he’s close to returning.  Eriksson Ek is also on a bridge contract that carries a $1.4875MM AAV through 2020-21.

Fiala, meanwhile, was Fenton’s most notable acquisition as he parted with Mikael Granlund to get him at the deadline.  Unfortunately for Minnesota, Fiala hasn’t rewarded their faith in him.  He had just seven points in 19 games down the stretch last year and has just a single helper in seven contests so far this season.  He’s not far removed from a 48-point campaign in 2017-18 though so the asking price will justifiably be high.  Fiala is in the first season of a two-year deal with a $3MM cap hit.

Interestingly enough, these players are all among Minnesota’s youngest with no one being older than 23.  For a team that looks like they need to try to rebuild in the near future, players of this age are typically the ones that teams in this situation look to acquire, not trade away.  Guerin is believed to be willing to listen on pretty much everything and with these players available, he should have some interesting trade scenarios presented to him.

Minnesota Wild Sign Three Players

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The Minnesota Wild have announced new contracts for three different players, signing Carson Soucy, Nico Sturm and Ryan Donato. Soucy has inked a one-year two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level, while Sturm is also on a one-year two-way deal but will earn $874K in the NHL. Donato meanwhile has signed a two-year contract worth a total of $3.8MM.

Donato is obviously the most important of the three as the Wild have huge hopes for the former Boston Bruins forward. Acquired in exchange for Charlie Coyle at the deadline, Donato had 16 points in 22 games down the stretch in Minnesota and should figure into their second or third line this season. The former Harvard standout and Hobey Baker finalist has 34 points in his short 68-game NHL career and an even an Olympic appearance with Team USA at the 2018 Games. With a real scoring ability and upside as a top-six forward, Donato’s deal will serve as a chance for him to prove his worth at the NHL level before signing a long-term deal with the Wild. He’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of this contract.

Soucy, 24, is a depth defenseman for the Wild that has spent the last two seasons playing the majority of his games in the AHL. After a four-year career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he joined the Wild organization in 2017 and has played just seven NHL games. He’ll be waiver-exempt for another season meaning he’s likely headed back to Iowa at least until the team needs an injury replacement.

Sturm though may not be ticketed for the minor leagues so quickly. The 24-year old forward was one of the top college free agents this year and signed with the Wild after an outstanding junior season with Clarkson University. He got into two games down the stretch for Minnesota and could start on the NHL roster right away. The 6’3″ Sturm is an option for the bottom half of their roster, as he plays a polished two-way game that made him a Hobey Baker finalist and the Best Defensive Forward award in the NCAA last year.

UFA Notes: Perry, Dzingel, Lee, Zuccarello, Talbot, Gilmour

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Perhaps one of the most interesting free agents out there seems to be Corey Perry. The veteran forward, recently bought out by the Anaheim Ducks has received interest from at least 10 teams, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli. The 34-year-old winger is trying to narrow his choices to the best three to four today, but new teams keep jumping into the mix.

Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that three or four teams are aggressively pursuing Perry as several teams are looking for a short-term option to help their team immediately. The Edmonton Oilers are considered one the four teams as they are trying to add as much help to the team’s top-six as possible, hoping that Perry might be able to help either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Perry was limited to just 34 games last season, posting six goals and 10 points.

  • Ryan Dzingel’s name has heated up recently as Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that the scorer will not be returning to Columbus even with his Ohio ties. Reports that he clashed with head coach John Tortorella in his tenure with the Blue Jackets have made him look elsewhere. However, Sporting News Canada’s Murray Pam reports that two teams are vying for the 27 year old’s services, including the Chicago Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche. The Blackhawks could make the most sense for Dzingel as Chicago attempted to trade for him at the trade deadline, before he ended up with Columbus, and he also own a home in the Chicago area. Dzingel scored 26 goals and had 56 points between Ottawa and Columbus last season and could be a great second-line target for the right team.
  • With Anders Lee seemingly less and less likely to re-sign with the New York Islanders, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Montreal Canadiens go after the 28-year-old winger. Lee, who has tallied 68 goals over the past two seasons is looking for a long-term deal, which the Islanders have balked at so far. However, the Canadiens who are loaded with plenty of young forwards may be interested in adding a veteran leader who can help out both on the ice and in the locker room.
  • The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription required) reports that the Minnesota Wild are actively pursuing unrestricted free agent forward Mats Zuccarello and are prepared to offer him a long-term deal. The scribe adds that the Columbus Blue Jackets are also in the mix for the rights to the veteran forward. The 31-year-old was traded to Dallas at the trade deadline this year and he performed well in the playoffs (four goals and 11 points in 13 games), but the two opted to part ways when contract negotiations fell apart. The Wild have approximately $17.4MM in cap room to spend this offseason, although they still have to sign several of their restricted free agents, including Kevin Fiala, Ryan Donato and Joel Eriksson Ek. Russo adds the team is also looking at forward Ryan Hartman.
  • Flames radio host Pat Steinberg reports that all signs point to the Calgary Flames signing goaltender Cam Talbot Monday, likely to a one-year deal. Calgary looks like they intend to part ways with veteran Mike Smith, which could give Talbot, who has been playing for the rival Oilers for the past four years, minus the last few months when he was traded to Philadelphia. Talbot struggled last season with a 3.40 GAA and a .892 save percentage in 35 games between the two teams.
  • Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reports that there is mutual interest between the Buffalo Sabres and unrestricted free agent defenseman John Gilmour, who became a Group 6 free agent this offseason. After appearing in 28 games in the 2017-18 season, Gilmour appeared in just five games this season and didn’t look to be in the team’s plans with so many young blueliners passing him. Regardless, the 26-year-old fared well in the AHL, putting up 20 goals and 54 points in 70 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

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