What's causing Ryan Donato's decreased production for the Blackhawks?

[Almighty Driving EX]

Donato's Production Tied Up in Neutral: A Looming Concern for the Blackhawks

At just over halfway through his four-year contract extension with the Blackhawks, forward Ryan Donato is struggling to break out of a slump that has been lingering since November. The 29-year-old, who was expected to be a key contributor this season, finds himself on pace for a disappointing 31 points – a far cry from his breakout campaign last year.

The good news for Chicago is that Donato's cap hit will no longer be a concern after the upcoming season. However, the bad news is that he's not producing at a level where it matters. The Blackhawks' offense has dried up lately, and Donato's 12.7% shooting percentage, which was expected to regress after his impressive .17 clip last season, seems unlikely to change anytime soon.

So what's behind Donato's decline? One factor is the lack of time spent with star Connor Bedard on the ice. The two were frequent linemates last season but have barely skated together this year. Additionally, Donato has struggled on the power play, recording only two points in five-on-five situations.

But it's not all bad news for Donato. His data suggests he's still generating scoring chances – albeit fewer than last season – and his skating speed remains above average. However, the lack of success with certain linemates, such as Colton Dach, is a concern that needs to be addressed.

Coach Jeff Blashill should consider deploying Donato in more favorable matchups, possibly alongside rookies Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis or slotting him next to Jason Dickinson. A more shoot-first mentality could also help the team and Donato himself. As he noted, "Sometimes the first option you get to take a shot is the best choice."

 

[Wear]

OMG, its like donato's struggles r going on 4eva!! 31 points already? that dont sound good at all!!! i mean, his shooting % last season was insane .17 lolol what happened to him?? im not saying he should give up hope tho! colton dach might be a lil too rough for him lol maybe he just needz a change of scenery like thats whats happenin with his linemates!! coach blashill shud def try out some new combos!! but seriously, 12.7% shooting % is still pretty decent imo we gotta keep faith in donato

 

[Subt]

I'm not totally worried about Donato's production... but it's definitely concerning that he's struggling to break out of this slump. I mean, 31 points in 50 games isn't exactly what we were expecting from him, especially considering his cap hit is coming down soon.

The lack of time with Bedard is a big factor, I think. Those two had some great chemistry last season and it'll be interesting to see how they develop that again. And yeah, Donato's struggles on the power play are a concern - he needs to find more ways to contribute there if he wants to stay in the lineup.

But here's the thing: his data still suggests he's generating scoring chances, even if they're not finding the back of the net as often. So maybe we should focus on playing to his strengths rather than trying to fix what's not working? Deploying him with some more shoot-first forwards could be a good way to get him going... and who knows, maybe he'll surprise us again! ️

 

[Chinese]

I'm really worried about Ryan Donato right now ... I was super hyped when he signed that contract extension with the Blackhawks, but now it's like, what happened? He's just not producing like we all thought he would. And you know what's even weirder is how much pressure he must be under given his cap hit is about to drop off a cliff ... I mean, can't imagine playing for that kind of money and still struggling so bad.

I think the thing that's most concerning is him not getting enough ice time with Connor Bedard, their linemates were a big part of his success last year, and now they're barely skating together... it's like, don't you get it, Donato? You need to find your groove, and fast! But at the same time, I've seen some really good data on him still generating scoring chances, so maybe just a matter of tweaking his game a bit?

 

[Brave Boar]

omg u gotta feel bad for ryan donato rn he's like the ultimate example of a player who just can't catch a break i mean, 12.7% shooting percentage is already pretty low, and he's not getting the production he needs from his linemates colton dach hasn't exactly been lighting it up either coach blashill should def try some new lineups to get donato in more scoring spots, maybe even give him a shot on the third line where he can just focus on shooting ️ and let's be real, donato's speed is still top-notch so it's not all bad news... but yikes, 31 points by season's end? that's def a disappointment

 

[Stylish M]

I feel for Ryan Donato, he's been slumping hard lately . I think it's good that his cap hit isn't an issue anymore after this season, but we need him to start producing ASAP . That lack of time with Connor Bedard is def a factor, and deploying him in more favorable matchups could be the way to go . Maybe we just need to adjust his role on the team and get him some more quality chances to score . I love that quote from Coach Blashill too - sometimes it's better to take a shot instead of trying to do too much .

 

[Cybernetic]

man donatos production has been super underwhelming this season its like he's still trying to find his groove or something he was always hyped to be a key contributor but now hes just skating around waiting for something to happen meanwhile the team needs him to step up his game i think coach blashill should try out some new line combos and give donato more freedom to shoot on net maybe that would help him break out of this slump

 

[Spirit of]

man... Ryan Donato's slump is getting old I mean, I know his contract situation will be taken care of after this season but it's still frustrating to see him not living up to expectations. he was supposed to be that guy who scores 30+ points a season and now it's like 31 points max? what's going on? is it just the lack of time with Bedard or are they actually having chemistry issues? and don't even get me started on his power play numbers, 2 points in 5-on-5? that's just sad...

 

[WWII]

I'm getting some major concerns about Ryan Donato's production lately . The dude's contract extension was expected to be a game-changer for the Blackhawks, but so far, he's been stuck in a rut . I think one of the main reasons is that he hasn't been able to replicate his chemistry with Connor Bedard on the ice . Those two were like two peas in a pod last season, and it seems like they're still finding their rhythm this year.

Donato's shooting percentage has taken a hit, and I don't think we can just chalk that up to regression . He's been struggling on the power play too, which is a major area of concern . But here's the thing: his data says he's still creating scoring chances – it's just not panning out .

Coach Blashill needs to shake things up and try some new line combinations . Maybe pairing Donato with some younger, faster guys like Oliver Moore or Nick Lardis might spark some life into his game . Or they could try moving him next to Jason Dickinson, who's had some success on the power play in the past .

One thing that does seem clear is that Donato needs a more shoot-first mentality ️. Sometimes, you gotta take the shot and hope for the best . I just hope he can break out of this slump soon – the Blackhawks need him to be a difference-maker .

 

[Worrisome Wo]

I feel bad for Donato, he's been playing so well in the past and now it seems like he's stuck in neutral . I think one of the biggest issues is that the team's offense has really slowed down and now everyone is feeling the pressure to step up. It's not just Donato, though - the whole team is struggling.

I love what the coach said about playing him with more shoot-first forwards like Moore and Lardis, those guys can bring some life to his game . And yeah, sometimes you gotta take that shot if it means scoring a goal. I'm not surprised that Donato's still generating chances, but the problem is that they're not going in.

It's also weird how much importance was put on him being with Bedard last season... like, did that really make that big of a difference? And what about Colton Dach - can't we find a way to get those guys working together better?

 

[Post-Apocalyptic Frisbe]

i think the problem with donato's slump is that he's being asked to do too much on his own . he was expected to be the hero of the blackhawks' offense, but now he's stuck trying to break out alone when the rest of the team isn't doing their part . if coach blashill starts playing him more with some of the younger guys who can create scoring chances, maybe donato can get back on track . it's all about finding the right chemistry and rhythm for him...