Confirmed with Link: Donato to San Jose for a 2021 3rd

[JP Flow]

What's done is done with Donato. I don't think he was persecuted or anything, but even Guerin didn't have a great explanation for his usage this year:


It sounds like he's likely to get more minutes and a clear role in San Jose, so at that point we'll probably get a better idea of what he is or isn't. With 3rd line minutes I'd be surprised if he doesn't get 20 next year.

In a lot of ways this whole situation goes back to the bungled GM hire. Fenton took over a team that needed an overhaul and got part way through it before getting canned. That left Donato without a role and without any real advocates within the organization, so the writing was probably on the wall. Sucks that we sold low on a guy that we kind of bought high on, but it's largely a function of that management snafu.

Still, it's a little irritating to see a team that lacks skill up front handle a young, skilled player like this. Donato's got plenty of warts, but he also produced without being given much. Why is it so hard to break down once in awhile and put a guy like that in a position to succeed? We yoked the entire goddamn team to Parise for 2 months trying to get him going and it just about killed our season out of the gates. And even once he "got going" he was almost invariably the worst player on whatever line he was on. Still led the forwards in ice time every night. One of the things I like about Guerin is that he seems as annoyed by that crap as I am, but I guess we'll see whether or not that's an illusion.

Am I misremembering or was there a report or rumor soon after the Coyle trade that Fenton demanded Boudreau play Donato in the top six?

Production aside, how big of a chunk of his minutes in the top six this past season came during his center experiment? I know it wasn’t a long audition, but I also can’t think of a ton of times he was getting those reps on the wing. For a player who most seem to agree is not particularly adept in his own end, is that the best application of his abilities?

 

[Bazeek]

Am I misremembering or was there a report or rumor soon after the Coyle trade that Fenton demanded Boudreau play Donato in the top six?

Production aside, how big of a chunk of his minutes in the top six this past season came during his center experiment? I know it wasn’t a long audition, but I also can’t think of a ton of times he was getting those reps on the wing. For a player who most seem to agree is not particularly adept in his own end, is that the best application of his abilities?

I don't remember the exact report, but Boudreau basically admitted that he was feeding Donato the minutes he was getting due to pressure from Fenton.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Am I misremembering or was there a report or rumor soon after the Coyle trade that Fenton demanded Boudreau play Donato in the top six?

Production aside, how big of a chunk of his minutes in the top six this past season came during his center experiment? I know it wasn’t a long audition, but I also can’t think of a ton of times he was getting those reps on the wing. For a player who most seem to agree is not particularly adept in his own end, is that the best application of his abilities?

Quite a bit of it through 12/31. A lot more than 50%. I didn't go any further than that.

 

[JP Flow]

He’s not a well-rounded player, he has pretty obvious limitations, but he seemed to be effective in the offensive zone when given the opportunity. Without someone like Fenton seeing to it that he was, pretty inevitable he would be dealt for a middling return relative to his cost to acquire from Boston and his potential.

 

[Aftershave]

So in total that’s Dub (50%) + Donato + 7th for 3rd + 5th... part of me is kind of disappointed because when I learned the dub trade was coming I was sort of hoping for something more exciting. But at the same time it actually looks pretty fair and probably that was their market value. So all in all, I’m okay with this I guess.

That being said, i like to think that BG has a master plan and everything is part of it (unlike our dear friend PF who looked like each trade was a completely individual thing). I like the stocking up on picks and I like getting rid of Dub & Donato.

Time to dream on than master plan:
The more we wait on trading a D the more I hope we actually end up with our D intact, KK being a revelation in goal, Lundell drafted (thanks to a secret agreement with Buffalo in the Staal trade for them not to pick him if available - yes I’m hoping) and we struggle to find our mojo for a year or two without a seasoned 1C BUT two-three years from now, we roll Lundell/Khovanov (who also turns out to be a revelation) as 1C/2C, no big sacrifice to our D, outstanding goaltending and we contend for the cup...

 

[HotDish]

So in total that’s Dub (50%) + Donato + 7th for 3rd + 5th... part of me is kind of disappointed because when I learned the dub trade was coming I was sort of hoping for something more exciting. But at the same time it actually looks pretty fair and probably that was their market value. So all in all, I’m okay with this I guess.

That being said, i like to think that BG has a master plan and everything is part of it (unlike our dear friend PF who looked like each trade was a completely individual thing). I like the stocking up on picks and I like getting rid of Dub & Donato.

Time to dream on than master plan:
The more we wait on trading a D the more I hope we actually end up with our D intact, KK being a revelation in goal, Lundell drafted (thanks to a secret agreement with Buffalo in the Staal trade for them not to pick him if available - yes I’m hoping) and we struggle to find our mojo for a year or two without a seasoned 1C BUT two-three years from now, we roll Lundell/Khovanov (who also turns out to be a revelation) as 1C/2C, no big sacrifice to our D, outstanding goaltending and we contend for the cup...

I like Lundell, but if we somehow arranged a secret agreement to not draft someone I hope it was someone like Rossi who is ranked higher. Lundell has a pretty safe shot at being available at 9.

 

[BigT2002]

What's done is done with Donato. I don't think he was persecuted or anything, but even Guerin didn't have a great explanation for his usage this year:


It sounds like he's likely to get more minutes and a clear role in San Jose, so at that point we'll probably get a better idea of what he is or isn't. With 3rd line minutes I'd be surprised if he doesn't get 20 next year.

In a lot of ways this whole situation goes back to the bungled GM hire. Fenton took over a team that needed an overhaul and got part way through it before getting canned. That left Donato without a role and without any real advocates within the organization, so the writing was probably on the wall. Sucks that we sold low on a guy that we kind of bought high on, but it's largely a function of that management snafu.

Still, it's a little irritating to see a team that lacks skill up front handle a young, skilled player like this. Donato's got plenty of warts, but he also produced without being given much. Why is it so hard to break down once in awhile and put a guy like that in a position to succeed? We yoked the entire goddamn team to Parise for 2 months trying to get him going and it just about killed our season out of the gates. And even once he "got going" he was almost invariably the worst player on whatever line he was on. Still led the forwards in ice time every night. One of the things I like about Guerin is that he seems as annoyed by that crap as I am, but I guess we'll see whether or not that's an illusion.

Isn't this basically Haula all over again? Another player with very good upside on offensive skills being relegated to shutdown minutes and never seeing PP time? Gets traded and lights it up.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Isn't this basically Haula all over again? Another player with very good upside on offensive skills being relegated to shutdown minutes and never seeing PP time? Gets traded and lights it up.

kinda but haula has much more speed than donato.

 

[57special]

God no. Haula was a near elite defensive C for us, and very fast. Donato is a poor defensive wing who has mediocre speed. He's Teemu Pulkinnen.

 

[Bazeek]

God no. Haula was a near elite defensive C for us, and very fast. Donato is a poor defensive wing who has mediocre speed. He's Teemu Pulkinnen.

He was?

 

[Yeolo]

Seems like a smart move. Take what you can get for a guy that plays a position the Wild have waaaaaay too many of both on roster and coming up over the next two seasons.

Good move for the young players who might be apart of the teams future right now, and good for a young solid NHLer who can't afford to waste a season on limited playing time.

The real bad guy here is Fenton for this hockey trade when in reality we should have sold Coyle off for picks. Hindsight 2020.

 

[Aftershave]

I like Lundell, but if we somehow arranged a secret agreement to not draft someone I hope it was someone like Rossi who is ranked higher. Lundell has a pretty safe shot at being available at 9.

Point taken, didn’t think this far.

 

[TaLoN]

He was?

He wasn't.

That said, still not comparable. Haula had a clear defined role, played it very well, but was pushed out because of the cap, not because of a numbers game at his position which prevented him from opportunity and advancement.

He simply became too expensive for his role.

 

[57special]

Haula was often played against Kane in our playoff series with them. He had the speed to keep up with him.

 

[TaLoN]

Haula was often played against Kane in our playoff series with them. He had the speed to keep up with him.

He matched up well with Kane, nobody is denying that... that didn't stop Kane from killing the Wild almost single handedly anyway.

Overall, Haula was a decent defender, but far from elite.

 

[Aftershave]

I like Lundell, but if we somehow arranged a secret agreement to not draft someone I hope it was someone like Rossi who is ranked higher. Lundell has a pretty safe shot at being available at 9.

Seems you were right!

 

[Webster]

Donato's defensive game is pretty bad, he's also slow and lacks strength. Best to move on and let him go.