C Ryan Donato (2014, 56th, BOS)

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Don't think anyone's done a thread on son of Ted.

Tearing up the prep ranks with Dexter School under tutelage of his uncle, Dan Donato. Recently committed to Harvard. Wear's #16 in favorite hockey idol (other than his dad) Brett Hull's honor. These days looks up to Patrice Bergeron as the player he most wants to play like.

Not as speedy as his pops, but bigger and skates his bag off. Brings an enthusiasm and passion for the game that when taken into account with his superb hands, vision and hockey IQ makes him a dangerous offensive forward.

Just a hunch, but I believe he'll go late 1st round to a top-level club with deep organizational system that is looking more for draft-and-stash guys they can just stow away and let develop on their own time without the pressing need to sign within 2 years a la CHL prospects.

If I'm sitting anywhere around 26-30, I'd take him- he's that good, but gets downgraded because of the level he's skating in, but make no mistake- the kid can play. Watch for him to make the USA U18 in April, too.

Click to read more...

 

[AmericanDream]

Don't think anyone's done a thread on son of Ted.

Tearing up the prep ranks with Dexter School under tutelage of his uncle, Dan Donato. Recently committed to Harvard. Wear's #16 in favorite hockey idol (other than his dad) Brett Hull's honor. These days looks up to Patrice Bergeron as the player he most wants to play like.

Not as speedy as his pops, but bigger and skates his bag off. Brings an enthusiasm and passion for the game that when taken into account with his superb hands, vision and hockey IQ makes him a dangerous offensive forward.

Just a hunch, but I believe he'll go late 1st round to a top-level club with deep organizational system that is looking more for draft-and-stash guys they can just stow away and let develop on their own time without the pressing need to sign within 2 years a la CHL prospects.

If I'm sitting anywhere around 26-30, I'd take him- he's that good, but gets downgraded because of the level he's skating in, but make no mistake- the kid can play. Watch for him to make the USA U18 in April, too.

so pretty much put a Blackhawk sweater on him right now!

very little buzz about him, which is fine, we know how it goes with prep players they fly under the radar until draft time. very excited to see where he goes in this draft.

 

[tfriede2]

so pretty much put a Blackhawk sweater on him right now!

very little buzz about him, which is fine, we know how it goes with prep players they fly under the radar until draft time. very excited to see where he goes in this draft.

Chicago? Psh...Favorite player is Hull, Blues desperately need center prospects...this could work out.

 

[AmericanDream]

Chicago? Psh...Favorite player is Hull, Blues desperately need center prospects...this could work out.

and the Hawks don't?

Maybe not desperately, but we need center help as we haven't been able to find or develop a #2 center for the past 5 years!

though Kevin Hayes might be that answer for us.

 

[sigx15]

Don't think anyone's done a thread on son of Ted.

Tearing up the prep ranks with Dexter School under tutelage of his uncle, Dan Donato. Recently committed to Harvard. Wear's #16 in favorite hockey idol (other than his dad) Brett Hull's honor. These days looks up to Patrice Bergeron as the player he most wants to play like.

Not as speedy as his pops, but bigger and skates his bag off. Brings an enthusiasm and passion for the game that when taken into account with his superb hands, vision and hockey IQ makes him a dangerous offensive forward.

Just a hunch, but I believe he'll go late 1st round to a top-level club with deep organizational system that is looking more for draft-and-stash guys they can just stow away and let develop on their own time without the pressing need to sign within 2 years a la CHL prospects.

If I'm sitting anywhere around 26-30, I'd take him- he's that good, but gets downgraded because of the level he's skating in, but make no mistake- the kid can play. Watch for him to make the USA U18 in April, too.

Thanks for this Kirk. Miss the days of the Bruinsdraftwatch, but congrats on the long overdue gig at RLR. Your stuff at New England Hockey Journal and NY hockey journal are is can't miss.

Couldn't agree more on Donato. Tearing up prep ranks right now, hockey IQ, vision, and hands are off the charts. Another great NE prep guy who's flown under the radar because of where he plays. Had a bit of a coming out party for a lot of scouts at the All American Prospects game with 2 assists, and clearly showed off his hockey sense and poise. Was one of the best players on the ice right there with Milano, Tuch, Larkin and Schmaltz.

What do you think will happen if his Dad gets removed from the Harvard coaching position after the season? Ryan has essentially grown up around the Harvard players with his Dad but could there be a sour taste in his mouth if Ted gets canned? They've stuggled mightily under him and all signs are pointing to it as a definite possibility especially with the way Yale, Union, and Cornell have become powers. He's a great recruiter but doesn't seem to be able to get it together on the ice. I know BC and BU were in on Donato as well, think there's any chance of a flip or a possible move to the Q to Rimouski, who I beleive hold his rights if Ted does get removed?

 

[tfriede2]

and the Hawks don't?

Maybe not desperately, but we need center help as we haven't been able to find or develop a #2 center for the past 5 years!

though Kevin Hayes might be that answer for us.

Ha - our best center prospect (outside of Lehtera, who isn't coming over to NA anyway), is Max Gardiner...he plays for Penn State. Yes, Penn State has a hockey team (as of last year). He has 1 assist in 18 games this year...and he's the best we have.

But anyway, I think Donato is ranked #54 out of NA skaters by some publication - doubtful he's a first round pick - probably mid-round (at this point), but there is still a lot of hockey to be played and scouting to be done.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

I've scouted a lot of New England kids in the last 14 years & Ry-Do is easily one of the best in terms of his talent, drive & character. Any team who takes him is getting a potentially special player albeit one they have to wait about 5 years for.

Are the Hawks in on him? Well, let me put it this way- several teams are trying to keep their enthusiasm quiet- they know he will NOT be there at end of 2nd round where they are.

Still plenty of time until June but Donato is the rare guy who stayed in prep & has actually raised the bar after leading all preps in scoring a year ago.

 

[tfriede2]

I've scouted a lot of New England kids in the last 14 years & Ry-Do is easily one of the best in terms of his talent, drive & character. Any team who takes him is getting a potentially special player albeit one they have to wait about 5 years for.

Are the Hawks in on him? Well, let me put it this way- several teams are trying to keep their enthusiasm quiet- they know he will NOT be there at end of 2nd round where they are.

Still plenty of time until June but Donato is the rare guy who stayed in prep & has actually raised the bar after leading all preps in scoring a year ago.

Cool, keep the updates coming. The publication's ranking that I referenced above was from a few months ago, so I'm sure his ranking has improved quite a bit due to more exposure. Will be interesting to see where he goes at the draft.

 

[AmericanDream]

I've scouted a lot of New England kids in the last 14 years & Ry-Do is easily one of the best in terms of his talent, drive & character. Any team who takes him is getting a potentially special player albeit one they have to wait about 5 years for.

Are the Hawks in on him? Well, let me put it this way- several teams are trying to keep their enthusiasm quiet- they know he will NOT be there at end of 2nd round where they are.

Still plenty of time until June but Donato is the rare guy who stayed in prep & has actually raised the bar after leading all preps in scoring a year ago.

He just seems like the perfect fit for Bowman and Co to draft high as a Hawk. A bit off the board (like K. Hayes was), great bloodlines, going to a great program (well at one time ), is American, and will need some time to develop.

I firmly believe if Hartman wasn't on the table at pick #30, the Hawks would have went after J.T Compher for that pick last year for many of the reasons I just listed.

I think Donato will rise up the lists some and will be in that range of about 20-25 players that can go anywhere from 25-55 like there is every year. His intangibles and attitude will put him higher then his ranking IMO.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Thanks for this Kirk. Miss the days of the Bruinsdraftwatch, but congrats on the long overdue gig at RLR. Your stuff at New England Hockey Journal and NY hockey journal are is can't miss.

Couldn't agree more on Donato.

What do you think will happen if his Dad gets removed from the Harvard coaching position after the season? Ryan has essentially grown up around the Harvard players with his Dad but could there be a sour taste in his mouth if Ted gets canned? They've stuggled mightily under him and all signs are pointing to it as a definite possibility especially with the way Yale, Union, and Cornell have become powers. He's a great recruiter but doesn't seem to be able to get it together on the ice. I know BC and BU were in on Donato as well, think there's any chance of a flip or a possible move to the Q to Rimouski, who I beleive hold his rights if Ted does get removed?

Thanks. Appreciate that.

No telling...it's certainly a possibility, and I don't disagree with your assessment of TD, but I don't usually spend a lot of time projecting where guys *might* go. I guess we'll just see how things play out, but imagine it would be awkward if there was a coaching change before he gets to Cambridge.

I was just pleased to pick up my phone one day a few weeks back with a thoughtful text from him telling me of his decision. He didn't have to do that, but I appreciated his confidence in me to let me know before he actually broke the news himself.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

He just seems like the perfect fit for Bowman and Co to draft high as a Hawk. A bit off the board (like K. Hayes was), great bloodlines, going to a great program (well at one time ), is American, and will need some time to develop.

I firmly believe if Hartman wasn't on the table at pick #30, the Hawks would have went after J.T Compher for that pick last year for many of the reasons I just listed.

I think Donato will rise up the lists some and will be in that range of about 20-25 players that can go anywhere from 25-55 like there is every year. His intangibles and attitude will put him higher then his ranking IMO.

I don't disagree with any of that.

I can remember being on HFBoards back in 2004 and arguing with people about Cory Schneider being a 1st-round pick. Several folks were insistent that because of the level of competition he was facing in prep that he would not be drafted ahead of the likes of David Shantz because Shantz was an OHLer. Shantz was a good goalie coming out of the OHL that year, but he couldn't hold Schneider's jock when it came to pure performance and upside. And over time, we've seen that the projections on Schneider were right on. Of course, Pekka Rinne (when healthy) was the best value pick of that draft, but CS on the verge of becoming a true NHL star when Marty Brodeur rides off into the sunset.

But it taught me early on that there is a tendency by some here to get fixated on leagues and Central Scouting lists instead of taking the time to research and understand what drives NHL teams and their drafting philosophies. I understand that some don't have the access (or interest) to develop awareness outside of certain leagues/circles, but when people make declarations pulled from their posterior, without allowing for a different perspective, that's when debate quality breaks down.

I don't bring up Schneider to pat myself on the back, because let's face it- anyone who actually freaking saw him from 2002-04 knew he had 1st round written all over him...it wasn't that bold a call. But, I see similarities with Donato...his 54th ranking is far too low. Hell- my own service's list is carrying him well below where I think he should be, but I'm just a worker bee.

In the end, Donato's going to surprise some people in Philly. And when those folks click on this thread to study up on him, they'll come to realize that it wasn't that much of a surprise after all.

 

[sigx15]

Thanks. Appreciate that.

No telling...it's certainly a possibility, and I don't disagree with your assessment of TD, but I don't usually spend a lot of time projecting where guys *might* go. I guess we'll just see how things play out, but imagine it would be awkward if there was a coaching change before he gets to Cambridge.

I was just pleased to pick up my phone one day a few weeks back with a thoughtful text from him telling me of his decision. He didn't have to do that, but I appreciated his confidence in me to let me know before he actually broke the news himself.

Wow, that's pretty great he took the time to do that. Shows how much of a force you've become scouting in the northeast and the relationships you've built there.

Looking forward to seeing Donato play for years to come, hopefully in college whether it be at Harvard or elsewhere. Going to be a special player

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

http://www.hockeyjournal.com/blog/kirks/Prospect_Pulse-_Ryan_Donato

Dexter School center Ryan Donato (Scituate, Mass.) is the region’s best chance to crack the 2014 NHL Entry Draft’s first round in Philadelphia this June since Charlie Coyle (Weymouth, Mass.) and Kevin Hayes (Dorchester, Mass.) did it in 2010.

The son of former NHL forward and current Harvard Crimson head coach Ted Donato (Dedham, Mass.) is having his finest high school season. That’s saying something, because he led all preps a year ago with 29 goals and 60 points in just 28 games. This time around, he’s putting up even more production, with multiple hat tricks and a solid all-around game that is grabbing a lot of NHL attention.

 

[Circulartheory]

I don't disagree with any of that.

I can remember being on HFBoards back in 2004 and arguing with people about Cory Schneider being a 1st-round pick. Several folks were insistent that because of the level of competition he was facing in prep that he would not be drafted ahead of the likes of David Shantz because Shantz was an OHLer. Shantz was a good goalie coming out of the OHL that year, but he couldn't hold Schneider's jock when it came to pure performance and upside. And over time, we've seen that the projections on Schneider were right on. Of course, Pekka Rinne (when healthy) was the best value pick of that draft, but CS on the verge of becoming a true NHL star when Marty Brodeur rides off into the sunset.

But it taught me early on that there is a tendency by some here to get fixated on leagues and Central Scouting lists instead of taking the time to research and understand what drives NHL teams and their drafting philosophies. I understand that some don't have the access (or interest) to develop awareness outside of certain leagues/circles, but when people make declarations pulled from their posterior, without allowing for a different perspective, that's when debate quality breaks down.

I don't bring up Schneider to pat myself on the back, because let's face it- anyone who actually freaking saw him from 2002-04 knew he had 1st round written all over him...it wasn't that bold a call. But, I see similarities with Donato...his 54th ranking is far too low. Hell- my own service's list is carrying him well below where I think he should be, but I'm just a worker bee.

In the end, Donato's going to surprise some people in Philly. And when those folks click on this thread to study up on him, they'll come to realize that it wasn't that much of a surprise after all.

Agreed but at the same time, I do hold the level of competition on one of my top factors in terms of ranking prospects. Making the jump from NCAA to the props is very hard, but with Donato, he also needs to make the jump from HS to NCAA. Of course, his skill should not be disregarded entirely because of level of play but it does make it harder to accurately project his future 5 years.

With that said, he plays at Dexter which plays against the most competitive schools in NE, has great character, comes from a great hockey family, and is committed to a great NCAA school. All signs of great things.

 

[usascout1]

Agreed but at the same time, I do hold the level of competition on one of my top factors in terms of ranking prospects. Making the jump from NCAA to the props is very hard, but with Donato, he also needs to make the jump from HS to NCAA. Of course, his skill should not be disregarded entirely because of level of play but it does make it harder to accurately project his future 5 years.

With that said, he plays at Dexter which plays against the most competitive schools in NE, has great character, comes from a great hockey family, and is committed to a great NCAA school. All signs of great things.

Dexter plays a much weaker schedule in the prep league then most of the more well known teams. They play a handful of good games but over all many weak games. Coyle and Hayes were also both over 6'2 and iver 200 lbs. Bad analogy. Donato should have moved on by now instead of dominating a weak league. Dexter won't even make the elite 8 prep playoff. Last year they lost in the first round. He is skilled and a very good player but I would want to see him challenge himself a full season before you put him in the first round.

 

[Circulartheory]

Dexter plays a much weaker schedule in the prep league then most of the more well known teams. They play a handful of good games but over all many weak games. Coyle and Hayes were also both over 6'2 and iver 200 lbs. Bad analogy. Donato should have moved on by now instead of dominating a weak league. Dexter won't even make the elite 8 prep playoff. Last year they lost in the first round. He is skilled and a very good player but I would want to see him challenge himself a full season before you put him in the first round.

I guess I should have meant teams in MA. Dexter plays against Nobles, Cushing etc. Obviously prep schools in CT (and a few in NH) are in the top tier of the prep leagues but within MA itself, Dexter plays against the more competitive MA schools.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Fair points, but does he *not* then get credit for All-American Prospects Game & Four Nations tourney in November?

Should he make the USA U18 squad in April, will we still be talking about Dexter's schedule?

Not debating the points about competition level, but that's a subjective assessment that different teams/scouts weight differently. What may be a "top factor" to you, may not be as much for others.

Don't be surprised if he's a top-30 pick in Philly. If he is, good discussion point. If he isn't, then you can all tell me how badly I got it wrong.

 

[Circulartheory]

Fair points, but does he *not* then get credit for All-American Prospects Game & Four Nations tourney in November?

Should he make the USA U18 squad in April, will we still be talking about Dexter's schedule?

Not debating the points about competition level, but that's a subjective assessment that different teams/scouts weight differently. What may be a "top factor" to you, may not be as much for others.

Don't be surprised if he's a top-30 pick in Philly. If he is, good discussion point. If he isn't, then you can all tell me how badly I got it wrong.

Completely agree.

 

[PocketNines]

The Blues as of now have picks 31 and 25/27/28/29 (depending on season finish). He sounds like a Blues prototype player, very Oshie-ish. He sounds like a Hitchcock player.

Does he project as a true center or do you see him moving to wing in the NHL?

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

That's up to whoever drafts him, but with his vision/creativity, I'd want to keep him at center.

 

[TT1]

i hope we draft him or pollock with our late 1st

 

[UpsideHockey]

ICYMI: Ryan Donato was featured in the War Room profile series.

Excerpt:

"Mr. Easy – Watch the video below and see how Ryan makes the impossible look easy. Shooting, passing, eluding the defender, Mr. Easy at your service.
Genes – Coach at Harvard next year, 13 year NHL veteran Ted Donato and yes, he is also Ryan’s Dad. Coach at Dexter this year, Dan Donato and yes, he is also Ryan’s uncle.
Offense – Elusive skating, velvet hands, elite vision combined with drive, energy and determination. Bottom line – elite scorer. What he lacks in top line speed he makes up for in mobility and agility.
Defense – Two way player who doesn’t give up, 200 foot player, 5 on 5, PK, PP.
Draft placement..."

>click here for full profile

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Kudos to FC for where they have him in their draft guide. Ballsy call, but ultimately will be validated on June 27, IMO. We shall see.

 

[Dr Quincy]

Kirk- I've heard some questions about his D (ability and interest). Any truth to those?

 

[desmond]

Why is he bothering with draft? If he stays in school for four years, He will become unrestricted free agent three weeks after graduation.