Ryan Donato has signed a new contract with the Boston Bruins.

Excellent news. While I would have preferred this to start next season, the team obviously feels he's ready to make an immediate impact, and it's nice to officially lock him into the fold. Reports are that there's a good chance he plays tomorrow.

And the assets just keep coming!!!

wtf is Donato.

One of Boston's top forward prospects? He had a pretty nice debut....1G/2A/3PTS

Nice move by Boston, nice depth add especially with Backes out.

When this team is healthy, they should be fun to watch. Might be time to move Backes back to center:

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krejci - Nash
Donato - Backes - Heinen
Schaller - Nash - Kuraly

That leaves Acciari, Wingles & Gionta on the bench to fill in.

Look at Donato's 3 points last night!!!

....and that's just the forward group!!!!

I'm interested to see what Sweeney does with this d-group in the off-season. He has the pieces to go out and get a major top4/top pairing type player. I mean with all the assets you have and the window of Chara/Bergeron/Krejci/Rask....do you make a big move for like a Doughty or OEL with no guarantee that they'll re-sign or that you can re-sign them? Imagine a d-group of

Chara - McAvoy
Krug - Doughty
Grz - Miller

^assuming Carlo would have to be in a deal

Chara - McAvoy
OEL - Carlo
Krug - Grz

Sign John Carlson (possibly) and trade Carlo for a lefty maybe?

You could go out and get Carlson, but I feel like his contract will put Boston in a tough spot once they have to re-sign all their RFA's after next season.

That's the issue. They're probably going to have issues as it is unless Krejci and/or Backes get moved.

Which after next season they could. Both go from NMC's to NTC's and with the Expansion draft, I believe they can leave both unprotected if they choose.

As long as they don't have an NMC they can be left unprotected. Even if they have a NMC, they can choose to waive i.e. Fleury

It'll be interesting to see what happens with this next expansion draft. Does Sweeney and Co give Chara an ext that's just long enough so he's a UFA at expansion time and they now don't have to protect Chara (if he's still playing). Which good young piece are you willing to lose to expansion or what are you willing to pay to keep your assets? Again its an interesting time as a B's fan from the business/management side of things.

Who voted no and why

Paul Dunnill is probably the "why". :

I'd 2nd this as the reason why it go 1 "no" for an answer

All about fitting under the cap though.....those 2 guys get paid pretty well!! Plus not too far away from paying out to guys like McAvoy, DeBrusk, Heinen, Grizz (Carlo) etc etc. Realistically, I don't think Sweeney does anything significant with the D while Chara is still in the mix. Plus, a guy like Miller had a huge game against St Louis and Pierre McGuire said he is Boston's "most improved" player. He also brings toughness which is a strong asset.

Well that's not very nice Brekel.....

There were Bruin haters out there well before I started posting on this site. I just don't take it.....fight back, stand up for my team!!

I'm sure there were and there will be more long after you and I are dead. Around here though I think majority of the "hate" the Bruins get is because of your posting style and how you interact with other fanbases. I'm not saying your wrong or calling you out, that's just seems to be the reality of things around here. You're very passionate about the B's, but sometimes that spills over to a point where people are tired about talking about the Bruins and it seems like you're trolling.

Things like making fun of posters predictions regarding the Bruins doesn't help either. Especially when its a thread that's seen little activity until you rekindled it.

It's a pretty good reason for it lol

Pretty sure he's Ted Donato's boy...

You know - former NHL'er, played 14 seasons in the NHL, half of them with Boston before he bounced around the league like a pinball.

With that said Donato was probably a legacy pick.

It's funny seeing all these former NHL'ers I grew up watching sons now playing in the NHL... There are a lot of them too.