The Minnesota Wild have re-signed restricted free agent forward Ryan Donato to a two-year contract worth $3.8 million, or $1.9 million AAV. This contract carries him through the 2020-21 season.
Wicked awesome! @DonatoRyan re-signs with #mnwild for a two-year, $3.8 million contract: https://t.co/e6G81VjHcs pic.twitter.com/80r8s4zLN9
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 16, 2019
Ryan Donato Re-signs With the Wild
Donato has played for Boston Bruins and the Minnesota Wild over his two-year NHL career. He has put up 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 career points in 68 career games. Boston originally drafted him in the second round, 56th overall of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Last season he scored 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 56 games split between the Bruins and the Wild. He also added six minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 52.6 percent Corsi-for and a relative Corsi of +1.3.
Donato was sent to Minnesota with a conditional fifth-round pick in exchange for Charlie Coyle at the trade deadline.
The Boston native had a decorated collegiate career with Harvard University, where his father Ted Donato is the coach. The younger Donato played for his father during his time with the Crimson.
He played for the bronze-medal winning 2016 World Junior Championship squad. Donato also was part of the 2018 Olympic team that finished seventh. He led the United States in scoring, with six points; including five goals.
What This Means for the Future
Donato started to get more time in the Wild lineup after the trade. He never could seem to crack the lineup with the Bruins consistently. The 23-year-old bounced between Boston and AHL Providence Bruins.
He’s a very good skater that has a nose for the goal and can also play defence. Donato has a hockey pedigree and a drive to compete. He will get plenty of time to shine in a Minnesota team looking to keep pace in a very tough Central Division.
The Wild also announced contracts for restricted free agents Nico Sturm (one year, two-way, $874,125/$70,000) and Cason Soucy (one year, two-way, $750,000/$125,000).
ST PAUL, MN – MARCH 16: Ryan Donato #6 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates a goal against the New York Rangers during the first period of the game on March 16, 2019 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Rangers 5-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
