Oct 1: Russo updated his piece today with a report that Donato and Dubnyk could both be on their way to the San Jose Sharks in short order. The deal may be hinging on Dubnyk’s partial no-trade clause, which allows him to list 19 teams that he can be traded to. The 34-year-old goaltender has just one year remaining on his contract and carries a $4.33MM cap hit, but is owed just $2.5MM in actual salary.
Sep 30: The Minnesota Wild are one of the teams to watch over the next several weeks. GM Bill Guerin has been anything but shy in revamping his roster, with Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu already on their way out and Nick Bjugstad and Marcus Johansson in. Now he’s looking move another forward, as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Ryan Donato is being shopped.
The San Jose Sharks have shown interest according to Russo, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also suggested that the Florida Panthers could be looking at the Paul Fenton favorite. Fenton was the GM of the Wild when they acquired Donato in 2019 and is now an assistant GM in Florida.
Donato, who is now 24, has long been an intriguing talent without much to show for it. The 56th overall pick in 2014, he quickly became one of the best collegiate players in the country, challenging for the Hobey Baker award in 2018. That same year he suited up for Team USA at the Olympics and made his dazzling NHL debut, scoring three points for the Boston Bruins and instantly becoming a fan favorite.
Unfortunately, that instant success didn’t carry over to the next season. Donato had just nine points in 34 games for the Bruins in 2018-19 before a trade sent him to the Wild. He made an early impression in Minnesota too with 16 points in 22 games down the stretch, but this year found himself on the fourth line or in the press box more often than not.
With just 23 points in 62 games and a roller-coaster history, it’s not clear what Donato’s real trade value would be. One thing in the Wild’s favor is his cost—he’ll carry a $1.9MM cap hit in 2020-21 before becoming a restricted free agent once again.
As for the other trade targets on the Wild roster, Russo provides updates on Matt Dumba, Devan Dubnyk, and Zach Parise in his lengthy piece. Each presents their own challenges and none appear to be imminent.
Each presents his own challenges and none appears to be imminent. Fixed it for you.
“Bruins are going to regret this trade for years to come.” Ol Voodoo Feb 2019.
Dubnyk? I prefer Fluery as a backup. I am not sure if Dubynk can wrestle the No.1 job away from Jones