The Chicago Blackhawks have been less active this off-season than they were last summer. While this is the case, they have made some solid moves during their off-season, and one involved an important player on their roster.

Last month before the start of free agency, the Blackhawks smartly re-signed forward Ryan Donato to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $4 million. It was already well-known that both the team and the player wanted to get a new deal done. Thankfully, they did just that, and Donato will now continue to be a key piece of the Blackhawks' roster as they look to take that next step. 

With how wonderfully Donato has fit into the Blackhawks' system, getting him to stick around for four more years at that price is a real win. The 29-year-old broke out in a big way this past season with the Blackhawks, as he set new career highs with 31 goals, 31 assists, and 62 points in 80 games. His 31 goals were also the most on the Blackhawks, and he finished second on the club in points behind Connor Bedard. Thus, it was a great year for the Massachusetts native.

Had Donato not re-signed with the Blackhawks and hit the free-agent market, he would have been an incredibly popular target around the league. Thus, there is a good chance that he could have landed a bigger deal in free agency, which makes move look even better for Chicago. 

Even if Donato does not replicate last season's offensive production, he should still continue to give them strong secondary depth scoring. In addition, he will continue to offer them a player who can fit anywhere in the lineup, as he plays both center and on either wing. 

Nevertheless, with Donato coming off such a great season, the Blackhawks made the right call keeping him around. It will be fascinating to see how he builds off his career year in 2025-26 from here. 

NHL Trade Rumors: Blackhawks Are Team To Watch Now that we are in the middle of July, things have slowed down significantly in the NHL. This happens every summer, as most of this year's free agents have been signed. While this is the case, trades can start to pick up as teams look to finalize their rosters at this point of the off-season. 

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