3. Ryan Donato
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a mess this season, with some even losing faith in Connor Bedard already, but Ryan Donato has excelled despite the situation. He has 19 goals and 18 assists, and he’s just a -3 on a team that’s -42 in goal differential. We’re not fans of +/-, but in this context, it gives perspective for Donato’s season.
Unlike Nelson and Rakell, Donato also solves the Devils’ center problem. All of a sudden, New Jersey is “weak” down the middle. They aren’t really since they have Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, but after that, it’s rough. Dawson Mercer hasn’t been able to be a full-time center. Erik Haula has been bad this season. So has Curtis Lazar. Adding Donato really helps the Devils re-configure their lineup in a way that would thrive in the postseason.
What would Donato cost? Multiple teams are going to be in on him, but the Devils have interesting pieces to enthrall the Blackhawks. They have plenty of good prospects to add to a trade, and they have three second-round picks to offer to the Blackhawks.
Donato feels like a one-and-done. He doesn’t have much to show for his playoff performance, but to be fair, he wasn’t given a prominent role. Things would be much different with the Devils.