Player Discussion Ryan Donato

[Goose312]

Bruins fan perspective from his time here.

Kid has a hell of a shot, but is a bit of a rooster tease. He has stretches where he's an offensive dynamo, then disappears.

His biggest problems in Boston were skating, fighting for the puck and size. He couldn't win a puck battle, was hesitant to go battle on the boards, and was very easily knocked off the puck. In the D zone he was lost, would have bad turnovers and was not good defensively.

Similar to Coyle. He's a dominant player about for a single 2 week span every season, then a good player for 4 game stretches every other month. Then you forget he's on the team until his next hot streak starts up again.

I'm hopeful for Donato because the Wild have so many players who are great at what his weaknesses seem to be, and so few players that are great where Donato is supposedly strongest. I still think the Wild should have been able to get more for Coyle, but at least this time the player coming back has something the Wild can use.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

I saw him pluck a puck or two out of a scrum, but I'm not sure I saw him "win a battle." He should get Spurgeon to tell him his secrets.

might have to rewatch a bit as i may be remembering incorrectly but i saw him use his body well in the offensive zone and come out with the puck a few times.

 

[nt3005]

I think the only negative from his first game is the 4 Min. penalty late in the game. Maybe he didn't get told about our terrible pk.
But you can tell the kid wants to score, he has some great offensive vision.

 

[Al Lagoon]

might have to rewatch a bit as i may be remembering incorrectly but i saw him use his body well in the offensive zone and come out with the puck a few times.

There was that one instance where he spun away from the defender and made a perfect feed to Suter in the slot, but 20 fumbled the chance away.

 

[Nsjohnson]

His skating looked 'fine'. It wasn't a thing of beauty, but it got the job done. It is not a liability for him, it does not hinder him. It can be better and it will help him in all aspects of the game, ala his acceleration and use of edges, but it is not AHL KHL level. He just has an interesting look to his stride and crossovers.

As for everything else, yes he was running on pure adrenaline, but he fought in the boards, cycled the puck, skated hard, and got shots off. I thought he looked just like a top 6 forward should.

I'm excited to see him use his shot. He should get PP time. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some trouble off that bat- new team, new emotions, confusion, that off feeling. But hopefully that goes away quickly.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Anyone know who’s the main writer for the Bruins? I wanna know if they are as spicy as Russo was with Nino now and going forward.

 

[Bazeek]

There was that one instance where he spun away from the defender and made a perfect feed to Suter in the slot, but 20 fumbled the chance away.

I think Suter was as surprised as I was that a Wild player made that pass.

 

[MuckOG]

I sense this kid has a bit of swagger about him....something this team could use.

 

[W75]

Our Saviour!

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Yeah, count me as one who is not a skating coach and wasn't 100% paying attention, but also didn't see much of an issue in that area.

 

[Wild11MN]

I think we should wait more than one game before making any blanket statements about his game and skating.

 

[Wabit]

Looked fine - he definitely had the adrenaline going. But at the very, very least this move helped repair the hole in the roster from the 2014 draft and there should be a spot for him on next fall's team.

Team had to get younger, they also got a shooter, a smart player, and a reasonable prospect under team control. All that and a pick.

I was thinking the same about the 2014 draft hole and Donato.

 

[nt3005]

I think we should wait more than one game before making any blanket statements about his game and skating.

I make all my player opinions after one game. Seems like the best strategy.

 

[57special]

He looks like a lesser Kunin, but if he scores points then he can show up in a chicken suit and I'd be fine with him.

 

[Wabit]

I think we should wait more than one game before making any blanket statements about his game and skating.

Meh, what fun is that?

F.Jo has been getting killed on these boards and nobody's seen him play at all. Rask was dead in the water before the ink was dry on that trade. Foligno was getting blasted for months during the summer before he had any chance to do anything.

Blanket statements and overreactions are what keep these boards running.

 

[Wild11MN]

Meh, what fun is that?

F.Jo has been getting killed on these boards and nobody's seen him play at all. Rask was dead in the water before the ink was dry on that trade. Foligno was getting blasted for months during the summer before he had any chance to do anything.

Blanket statements and overreactions are what keep these boards running.

Very true statement there.

 

[Bazeek]

Meh, what fun is that?

F.Jo has been getting killed on these boards and nobody's seen him play at all. Rask was dead in the water before the ink was dry on that trade. Foligno was getting blasted for months during the summer before he had any chance to do anything.

Blanket statements and overreactions are what keep these boards running.

Rask hasn't had a pulse in going on two years.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I think we should wait more than one game before making any blanket statements about his game and skating.

Statements and opinions can be changed. Initial reactions are ok to have.

 

[Wild11MN]

Statements and opinions can be changed. Initial reactions are ok to have.

Sure. There's some of both going on. Definitely a positive initial reaction.

 

[Northerner]

I watched every game in the Olympics and he was fantastic in Korea. I can't recall if him and Greenway played a ton together but I recall them on the same line. Should put him back on line w Greenway if you ask me.



I do like this deal and I'm glad the Coyle experience is over.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I watched every game in the Olympics and he was fantastic in Korea. I can't recall if him and Greenway played a ton together but I recall them on the same line. Should put him back on line w Greenway if you ask me.



I do like this deal and I'm glad the Coyle experience is over.

They're both LWs.

 

[BagHead]

They're both LWs.

They're both centers!

In the Olympics Greenway centered that line. I'm still not against trying Greenway at center once he's developed into the NHL game a bit more, if we need a center. But why would we need one? We've got JEE and Rask!

 

[Bazeek]

They're both centers!

In the Olympics Greenway centered that line. I'm still not against trying Greenway at center once he's developed into the NHL game a bit more, if we need a center. But why would we need one? We've got JEE and Rask!

If we do trade Staal it's worth a shot at some point, just to take a second look.

 

[Al Lagoon]

This guy has impressed me again tonight with his offensive hockey instincts/smarts.

 

[Nsjohnson]

I didn't get to see all the game, more like 1/3, but the first third with most the action.

Again, this kid played well. Unless I missed something in the 3rd, he was spectacularly competitive, and could have had a couple goals.

I bet it's been nice to come into a lineup and instead of playing with vets, he gets to play with guys his age not tons of pressure.

I can see in this kids body language he wants to make a statement. Great for him.