This might end up being longer than I expect, but here are my thoughts on the trade and Donato.
For starters, I think this is a good, old fashioned “hockey trade” between two teams in the NHL. While both the Wild and Bruins lost something of significance, I give the Bruins the edge right now. Charlie Coyle, 26, has one-year remaining at $3.2m per-year on his deal and is already an established W/C for the middle-six part of the roster. The Bruins gave up a highly-touted prospect who’s probably close to ready for full-time duty in the NHL so he can develop there, rather than the AHL.
Charlie Coyle is a solid, unspectacular middle-six forward who can play wing or center. He makes for an average second-line winger, but I think he’s much more effective as a third-line center. He’s got good size and is really, really strong, but also frustrating in that regard too. On some nights, you’ll watch him and think he’s some hidden gem you’ve never watched before. On other nights, he’ll be as invisible as can be— not using his weight to support himself on battles, not throwing his big frame around and not really skating hard. From what I’ve read, he gets down on himself pretty easily and confidence could be an issue at times. Either way, he’s still a solid, right-shot, middle-six center with size and those guys aren’t exactly easy to find.
Ryan Donato is a player that came to Boston after being shot out of a cannon. We know his skills are there, but he’s shown very little since his stint before the playoffs last year. Obviously he possesses a world-class shot and release, but he was weak on his skates and isn’t a great skater to begin with. These are definitely areas he can and will improve, but the Bruins are clearly in “win” mode and don’t have time to let him develop under them. Especially if they can use him to acquire a piece to help for now and the future— Coyle. Donato might be a touch overrated, especially after that performance last Spring. I personally think he can be a second-line sniper in the NHL capable of 20G-30G, but I think there are more question marks surrounding him than previously thought. He’s a good player, but he’s a left-shot and isn’t better than DeBrusk, Heinen or even Bjork in my opinion.
Don Sweeney gets ragged on a lot here for appearing to be “gun shy” and holding on too “tight” to his prospects. He’s been accused of nepotism in regards to Donato specifically, and, well, just kind of disproved all of that in one move, IMO. He traded Ryan Donato before he had a chance to be developed into something more than he is now, for an established young-veteran in the NHL. As I don’t actually love Charlie Coyle, I still think this is a clear win for Don Sweeney in more ways than one. The Bruins were able to add to their roster (for now and later) without subtracting from it, but also not giving up much from the farm in regards to quantity. That’s a good move if you asked me.
By trading Donato for a center with term, maybe this allows him to move someone like Frederic for a top-six winger, since Coyle can play in the middle-six for years to come if that’s something the Bruins want to do. They have options now in that regard. Let’s face it, the Bruins had to start moving out some of these players as they cant all play in the top-nine. DeBrusk, Heinen, Pastrnak, Cehlarik and Bjork have all competed— only DeBrusk and Pastrnak are locks. I think Bjork is a better player than Donato and if his injuries hadn’t piled up, then he would have easily surpassed him anyways. Soon, Lauko will be on his way. Zach Senyshyn should make the jump next year, too. The Bruins still have an abundance of young wingers trying to crack the lineup— they capitalized on moving one for a middle-six center.
The Bruins also have been drafting very well in the second-round and third-round of the draft. If you asked me, including a highly-touted prospect like Donato allowed them to give up only a fourth-round or fifth-round pick, as opposed to second or third. Bruins gave up a young, talented sniper...but you know what? If you want another, go out and draft one. They traded Vatrano last year (third-round pick) and went out and drafted a player in Lauko who has higher upside than Vatrano does. Some outlets even had Lauko pegged as a first-round pick.
Anyways, this was a good trade and clearly not an easy decision to make. I think Sweeney deserves a lot of credit on this one. I’ve seen constantly on Twitter how some people think that Donato should have been used in a package to get a top-six winger or some high-caliber forward. Well, don’t you think Don Sweeney, General Manager of an NHL franchise, tried that already? Give the guy some credit.
One more note: With all of these deficiencies and struggles of Donato that are pointed out by our lovely members of HFBoards and on Bruins Twitter, don’t you think scouts in the NHL see this too? That GMs and Assistant GMs see these things too?