Latest news with #RyanDonato
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Stars' Matt Duchene signs four-year deal; other players on free agency list
Stars' Matt Duchene signs four-year deal; other players on free agency list Show Caption Hide Caption Florida Panthers capture second straight Stanley Cup The Florida Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers to win their second-straight Stanley Cup. Sports Pulse NHL general managers are beating the deadline and getting their pending free agents re-signed before the July 1 start of free agency. The Dallas Stars were the latest, getting forward Matt Duchene, 34, re-signed to a four-year, $18 million contract on June 19. He led the Stars with 82 points in 82 games and set a career best with 52 assists. The Chicago Blackhawks had signed leading goal scorer Ryan Donato to a four-year, $16 million contract on June 18. Duchene's four-year contract is a change from his recent deals, though it is team-friendly. After the Nashville Predators bought him out in 2023, he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Stars and had a 65-point season. He signed another one-year, $3 million deal before averaging a point a game last season. 'As our team's leading scorer last season, he helped to solidify our forward group while also providing invaluable leadership off the ice and in the community," general manager Jim Nill said. "The fit with Matt and our team has been seamless from the start, and we're looking forward to continuing to pursue our shared goal of bringing a championship to Dallas." Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic, a trade deadline acquisition, could be getting closer to a deal. "We're talking, my agent's talking," he said during the Oilers' end-of-season media availability. "Hopefully, something will get done here." The New York Islanders' Kyle Palmieri and Tampa Bay Lightning's Yanni Gourde re-signed earlier. But there are plenty of potential unrestricted free agents still out there, including from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. A look: Pending unrestricted free agent forwards Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs Sam Bennett, Panthers Brad Marchand, Panthers John Tavares, Maple Leafs Brock Boeser, Canucks Nikolaj Ehlers, Jets Mikael Granlund, Stars Patrick Kane, Red Wings Claude Giroux, Senators Andrei Kuzmenkov, Kings Evgenii Dadonov, Stars Jonathan Drouin, Avalanche Pending unrestricted free agent defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Panthers Vladislav Gavrikov, Kings Nate Schmidt, Panthers Ivan Provorov, Blue Jackets Dmitry Orlov, Hurricanes Matt Grzelcyk, Penguins Brent Burns, Hurricanes Ryan Lindgren, Avalanche Pending unrestricted free agent goalies Jake Allen, Devils Vitek Vanecek, Panthers Ilya Samsonov, Golden Knights Alexandar Georgiev, Sharks Dan Vladar, Flames
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Stars re-sign Matt Duchene, locking up top scorer at bargain $4.5 million cap hit
Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill didn't have any cap space, but he had everything else that Matt Duchene wanted. In the end, that was enough to keep his leading scorer in Dallas for four more seasons. The Stars announced Thursday that they have re-signed Duchene, who posted 82 points in 82 games this past season, to a four-year deal with a cap hit of just $4.5 million. Even given Duchene's age, 34, it's a bargain-basement price for a proven player coming off that type of season. Just a day earlier, the Chicago Blackhawks re-signed Ryan Donato, coming off a career-high 62 points (more than twice his previous high), to a four-year deal with a $4 million cap hit. Advertisement The signing is sure to spark more conversation about the inherent advantage tax-free states such as Texas have, but as Duchene himself said during the playoffs, the chance to win and the laid-back lifestyle in Dallas suited him perfectly at this stage of his career. In a conversation with The Athletic last month about the pending unrestricted free agency of Duchene and captain Jamie Benn, Nill had no doubt they'd be back. 'They want to be here, I want them to be here,' he said. 'And then we've got to find a number that works for both.' The signing leaves the Stars with virtually no remaining cap space for Benn, who is eligible to sign an incentive-laden over-35 contract, or Mikael Granlund, who was acquired via trade midseason, or even pending RFA Mavrik Bourque, a 23-year-old whom the organization has high hopes for. With 25-year-old Jason Robertson entering the final year of his contract, carrying a $7.75 million cap hit, there has been speculation that he could be on the trade block to make the math work. Duchene is a 16-year NHL veteran coming who seems to have gotten better with age. In 2021-22, he had 43 goals and 86 points with the Nashville Predators, and he's scored 55 goals over his two seasons in Dallas. He had a very frustrating postseason, though, as the Stars lost in the Western Conference final for the third straight season. In 18 playoff games, he had just one goal and five assists. This, after scoring just two goals in 19 playoff games in 2024. Duchene was generating plenty of chances, but felt snake-bitten this spring. 'A lot of people just look at numbers,' he said during the conference final. 'I like where I'm at, I like where my game's at. I'm playing better than I was last year at this time, a lot better offensively and I'm more myself. I think it's the same player I've been in the regular season. Then you add in the little nuances of playoff hockey which I had last year, feel good about that. It's frustrating because it's the most important time of year and it's the last time you want to go through it. At the same time, I always focus on process and if your process is good, the results come eventually.' Really nice deal for the Stars here. Matt Duchene has been a pivotal part of the team's attack, scoring at a 70-plus point pace with Dallas over the last two years. Even at a four-year term, $4.5M looks like a steal. — dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) June 19, 2025
Washington Post
a day ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Blackhawks re-sign forward Ryan Donato to a $16 million, 4-year contract
CHICAGO — Ryan Donato wanted to stay, and the Chicago Blackhawks wanted to keep the hard-charging forward. It took a while, but they figured it out. The Blackhawks announced Wednesday that they had re-signed Donato to a $16 million, four-year contract. He was eligible for unrestricted free agency before agreeing to his new deal with his fifth NHL team.
CBS News
a day ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Blackhawks re-sign Ryan Donato to $16 million, 4-year contract
Ryan Donato wanted to stay, and the Chicago Blackhawks wanted to keep the hard-charging forward. It took a while, but they figured it out. The Blackhawks announced Wednesday that they had re-signed Donato to a $16 million, four-year contract. He was eligible for unrestricted free agency before agreeing to his new deal with his fifth NHL team. "Ryan brings energy and competes hard every game which has been a huge asset to our team over the last two seasons," Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "He's been a crucial part of our offense, and we're excited for Ryan to continue to make a difference in our lineup for the next four years." The 29-year-old Donato is coming off a breakout performance. He set career highs with 31 goals and 31 assists in 80 games this season. His previous career bests were 16 goals in 2021-22 with Seattle and 18 assists in his first season with Chicago. Donato's camp had conversations with the team about a new contract ahead of the trade deadline, but the sides weren't able to finish the job. The Blackhawks ended up holding onto Donato through the deadline. "We did have a rapid discussion around then, and it didn't get done, but I wouldn't say there's a hurdle or anything like that," Davidson said during the team's end-of-season availability with reporters in April. "Once you get past the deadline, everyone takes a little breather, and then you're near the end of the season. I think things will pick up now that we're through the year." Donato's contract answers one major question for Chicago as it tries to move back into contention after years of losing. The Blackhawks went 25-46-11 this past season, finishing last in the Central Division and No. 31 overall in the NHL. Donato, a Boston native and Harvard University product, has 108 goals and 119 assists in 483 career games, also playing for the Bruins, Wild and Sharks. He joined the Blackhawks when he signed a $4 million, two-year contract with the team in 2023. "We have obviously a super bright future here, and there's going to be guys that make tremendous gains this summer that help the team, you know, win more games," Donato said in April. "And I think Blackhawks fans and a lot of people are going to be surprised how quickly things can turn."
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Blackhawks retain F Ryan Donato with four-year, $16M deal
June 19 - Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato signed a four-year, $16 million contract extension, the team announced Wednesday. Donato, 29, could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but instead chose to sign a deal through the 2028-29 season with Chicago. Last season, Donato led the Blackhawks with a career-best 31 goals in 80 games. His 31 assists and 62 points were also career highs. "Ryan brings energy and competes hard every game, which has been a huge asset to our team over the last two seasons," Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "He's been a crucial part of our offense, and we're excited for Ryan to continue to make a difference in our lineup for the next four years." Donato, an eight-year veteran, has 43 goals in two seasons with the Blackhawks. He had never scored more than 31 points in a season until doubling that output last season. Donato has 108 goals and 119 assists in 483 games with the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken and Blackhawks. --Field Level Media
