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Blackhawks encounter serious roadblock in contract negotiations with top line forward

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Julien Trekker
June 6, 2025 (12:01)

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In an interview, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson shared an update on Ryan Donato's contract negotiations.

Although the Blackhawks ended the season at the 8th spot in their division, some players were able to make the best out of the tough year, including the 29-year-old forward Ryan Donato.

Donato had the best season of his career, by far. He scored 31 goals and 31 assists in 80 games, only five points behind Connor Bedard among the team's scorers.

Set to enter free agency on July 1st, Donato wants to remain with the Blackhawks, but also wants an organization who understands his needs.

Here's what he said in his end-of-season press conference:

"We've talked, and I've expressed many times how much I love being here and want to be part of the future. I know I need to keep working on my own game and help the team, but also help mentor the younger guys. There's a lot of exciting opportunity here, and I've made it clear I want to be part of that.

We've been in a position where we've bounced around a bit, so the idea of being in one place for more than a couple of years is definitely appealing. Stability is a big factor for me. I feel super blessed and thankful, and hopefully things go well so we can find a spot where that's possible."

In a new interview, Hawks' general manager Kyle Davidson shared an update on Donato's contract negotiations.

After he talked about how many young players who played at the end of the season will be in the NHL next year, there aren't many holes left to fill on the lineup, but management is hopeful that they'll be able to bring back Donato, with discussions about a deal are happening.

Per Ben Pope:

"«I don't think we have a number of holes that we need to fill this year,» he said. «Because there's some young players that have graduated into pro...that are ready to show what they can do, and ready to earn that spot and play at the NHL level.

«What we ended [last season] with - and what we'll probably start with [next season] - is a totally different team than we played 85% of last season. There is a lot of new that's going to be there.»

The Hawks are talking «back and forth» with pending free agent Ryan Donato, Davidson said, and they're still «hopeful» they can reach an agreement on a new contract."

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Stay tuned for updates on Donato's contract negotiations.

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JUIN 6 \| 412 ANSWERS Blackhawks encounter serious roadblock in contract negotiations with top line forward Do you think the Blackhawks would made a mistake by signing Ryan Donato to a long-term deal?
Yes	189	45.9 %
No	223	54.1 %
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Blackhawks encounter serious roadblock in contract negotiations with top line forward

In an interview, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson shared an update on Ryan Donato's contract negotiations.

Do you think the Blackhawks would made a mistake by signing Ryan Donato to a long-term deal?