The Chicago Blackhawks are still in the middle of their rebuild. While this is the case, the Central Division club will be looking to show signs of progress this upcoming season. For this to occur, they will not only need their young players to continue to develop in the right direction, but also for their veteran players to continue to step up. 

Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato is undoubtedly one of the veteran players who the Original Six club will be relying on this upcoming campaign.

Donato broke out in a big way for the Blackhawks this past season, as he set career highs with 31 goals, 31 assists, and 62 points in 80 games. With numbers like these, he was one of the Blackhawks' most impactful players, and it helped him land a four-year, $16 million contract extension from Chicago back in June.

If Donato builds off his career year and continues to provide strong offense, it will be a huge for a Blackhawks club looking to take that next step. The potential for him to do so is certainly there, and it will be fascinating to see what kind of campaign the Massachusetts native puts together for the Blackhawks in 2025-26 from here.