![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/67f48a5\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/8256x5504+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F58%2F6d%2F0aa28325467d9951ec1ee215da79%2Fdonato-2.jpg\")
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If the Blackhawks do trade Ryan Donato, they\u2019ll get quite a bit for him.<\/p>\n
That has become clear due to Donato\u2019s continued strong play, an imbalance of many buyers and few sellers and several precedent-setting trades that have already occurred around the NHL.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s just as likely the Hawks keep Donato past the trade deadline at 2 p.m. Friday and try to re-sign him, now that their focus has shifted more toward the present and away from accumulating an endless supply of draft picks.<\/p>\n
Opinions within and around the organization are split on which path forward regarding Donato, a pending free agent, would be wiser.<\/p>\n
Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson hasn\u2019t tipped his hand yet, but he must be excited about the \u201csellers\u2019 market\u201d that has solidified. The Kraken received an enormous haul from the Lightning in a Wednesday blockbuster, for example, getting two first-round picks and a second-round pick for middle-six forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde.<\/p>\n
More applicable to the Donato situation is a Tuesday trade in which the Bruins sent scrappy depth forward Trent Frederic to the Oilers for second- and fourth-round picks. That marked a sizable return for Frederic, who, despite his intangibles, has tallied only 15 points this season.<\/p>\n
Donato, by comparison, has tallied 45 points, including 21 in his last 16 games. His 17 goals during five-on-five play put him tied for 11th in the league entering Wednesday, ahead of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Ovechkin and a ton of other stars.<\/p>\n
At this point, a second-round pick therefore seems like the minimum value for Donato, whose $2 million salary-cap hit won\u2019t deter anyone. Even a first-round pick, perhaps with conditions attached or with a late-round pick accompanying Donato, is now conceivable.<\/p>\n
That lofty value is the strongest argument for trading Donato, who has been an under-the-radar journeyman most of his career and seemed unlikely to garner more than a third-round pick just a month or two ago. This absolutely marks a sell-high opportunity for the Hawks.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, however, Donato \u2014 who long ago tired of answering trade deadline-related questions \u2014 talked about the Hawks\u2019 longer-term future beyond this season as though he foresees himself being a part of it.<\/p>\n
The opportunity to help build a winning culture in Chicago continues to appeal to him, in contrast to other players (like Seth Jones) who have grown weary of the constant losing. He has found a niche with his fifth NHL franchise and seems genuinely invested in helping it succeed.<\/p>\n
Plus, Donato\u2019s every-night work ethic fosters that winning culture. If every Hawk hustled as much as Donato has all season, the team probably wouldn\u2019t be in 31st place. Put together, those factors form an equally strong argument for keeping him.<\/p>\n
If that happens, the Hawks will almost certainly need to trade another forward or two, since they need to somehow clear NHL roster spots for a few forward prospects expected to leave college and turn pro late this season: Ryan Greene, Dominic James (if he starts his pro contract immediately) and Oliver Moore (if he does turn pro this year).<\/p>\n
Injured veteran forwards Nick Foligno (back), Philipp Kurashev (hand) and Jason Dickinson (ankle) all skated Wednesday morning in non-contact jerseys, adding to the imminent roster logjam. Interim coach Anders Sorensen said Foligno specifically could return as soon as Friday against Utah.<\/p>\n
Other possible trade-bait forwards for the Hawks are Craig Smith, Pat Maroon and Lukas Reichel.<\/p>\n
Smith and Maroon both fall in the same bucket. As fourth-liners on expiring contracts nearing the end of their careers, they would fetch a late-round pick at best.<\/p>\n
Trading Reichel would be much more complicated and controversial. But as the former first-round pick\u2019s development plateaus, Davidson might believe he needs a change of scenery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s possible the Hawks could get a first- or second-round pick for Donato in the seller’s market that has solidified. But there’s also a strong argument in favor of keeping and extending him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chicago-blackhawks"],"yoast_head":"\n