What is behind Ryan Donato's regression this season?

Ryan Donato has established himself as a reliable player for the Chicago Blackhawks during his three-year tenure, with the versatile game he brings to the table and his ability to play in all situations throughout the lineup.

Donato enjoyed a career-best season in the 2024-25 campaign, in which he amassed 31 goals and 62 points in 80 games. That production was good for second on the team behind Connor Bedard. This led general manager Kyle Davidson to reward him with a four-year, $4 million contract extension over the summer.

However, this past season has seen quite a drop in productivity with the 29-year-old Boston native recording just 14 goals and 13 assists in 72 games thus far. This begs the question of what is behind that drop-off.

Donato's role has changed

Last season was a struggle for virtually the entire Blackhawks team in a year that started so badly it led to a rare midseason coaching change with Luke Richardson being let go and Anders Sorensen taking over in the interim.

Even the Blackhawks' ringleader, Bedard, was not immune to the struggles, as his game saw a slight dip in his sophomore year compared to his Calder-winning rookie season. A big reason for this was a lack of support up front with inconsistent linemates.

One of the few players who stuck on Bedard's wing was Donato. In a contract year for him, he stepped up and found a home in the top six. This increase in ice time and looks on the power play provided him with chances he often has not had in his career as a player who has mostly been utilized in the bottom six.

This season has been different as the group gets younger and fresher; the roles for veterans like Donato have shifted. There is more competition for spots in the rotation, and as a result, he has been utilized in a lesser capacity. Blashill has most often deployed Donato on defensive-oriented shutdown lines rather than flanking Bedard up front.

In the present, another reason for Donato's regression is the absence of Jason Dickinson with his trade to the Edmonton Oilers. The two players had chemistry, as Donato was more effective with Dickinson than without him. With the Oliver Moore injury, Donato has slotted into his third-line center role. He has little help around him there, especially with Andre Burakovsky's demotion to the third line.

While it is unfortunate to see Donato regress this season, it is not surprising. In addition to riding Bedard's wing often, he was clipping at an unsustainable rate with a 17% shooting percentage. He was very unlikely to keep that run going.

To be fair to Donato, his statistics this year are still comparable to most of his career totals. Last season was an outlier; he has tended to be a 20-30 point guy on your team's middle six. So with how he has been used this year, his stats line up.

Donato can also be effective beyond the scoresheet, with his defensive game on the penalty kill and physicality that this team does not have much of. He is also a leader in the room by example, someone the young guys can look up to for his strong work ethic.

With three years left on his deal, Ryan will likely be around as this Chicago team looks to drive out of the rebuild. His role moving forward will continue to shift as more and more future core pieces make their way onto the squad and battle for minutes.