Ryan Donato already is looking ahead to the 2019-20 NHL season.
The 23-year-old has no hard feelings toward the Boston Bruins following a trade that sent him to the Minnesota Wild last season, and he is ready to embrace the opportunity he’s been given.
“I’ve been all over the map, in every sense of the word, trying to do something I love,” Donato said Monday, per the Patriot Ledger’s Mike Loftus. “I’m excited for a season where I can hopefully, depending on how it goes, just worry about playing hockey in Minnesota.”
Although he’s looking forward to spending a full season with the Wild, Donato admitted he’s had a rather tough time adjusting to life in Minnesota.
“Obviously, it’s a tough transition, being a Boston guy, born and raised in Massachusetts, to being in a whole new place, away from home and away from family,” Donato said. “It was tough in that sense.
“But I made a lot of good connections with my teammates,” he added. “They welcomed me with open arms. In that way, it was an easier transition mentally than I thought it was going to be.”
The Wild missed the playoffs last season after finishing dead last in the Central Division with 83 points. With a slew of veteran talent and young players, Donato is ready to see what the group really can do.
“I was very fortunate to be able to sign a new deal with such a great organization,” he said. “I’m excited to see what we can do as a team, and to be there for the whole process.”
Donato and the Wild visit TD Garden on Nov. 23 to take on the Bruins.
