The Hawks might be able to get a first- or second-round selection for Donato in the established seller’s market. However, there is also a compelling case for maintaining and extending him.

The Blackhawks will receive a lot of money for Ryan Donato if they decide to trade him.

Due to Donato’s consistent excellent play, an imbalance of buyers and sellers, and a number of precedent-setting deals that have already taken place throughout the NHL, that has become evident.

Given that their priorities have evolved away from amassing an unending supply of draft selections and more toward the present, the Hawks are just as likely to keep Donato over the trade deadline at 2 p.m. Friday and attempt to re-sign him.

There is disagreement within and beyond the company about the best course of action with regard to Donato, a pending free agent.

Although he hasn’t yet tipped his hand, Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson must be thrilled by the “sellers’ market” that has been stable. In a Wednesday blockbuster, for instance, the Lightning sent the Kraken a huge haul, including two first-round picks and a second-round pick for middle-six players Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand.

A Tuesday transaction in which the Bruins sent gritty depth forward Trent Frederic to the Oilers for second- and fourth-round choices is more relevant to the Donato scenario. Frederic, who has only scored 15 points all season despite his intangibles, made a significant comeback with that.

In contrast, Donato has scored 45 points, 21 of which have come in his last 16 games. As of Wednesday, he was tied for 11th place in the league with 17 goals in five-on-five play, ahead of Alex Ovechkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and numerous other elite players.

The minimum value for Donato at this point would appear to be a second-round pick, and nobody will be put off by his $2 million salary-cap burden. It is now even possible to select Donato in the first round, either with restrictions or with a late-round pick.

Donato, who has spent the majority of his career as an underappreciated journeyman and only a month or two ago was unlikely to fetch more than a third-round choice, has tremendous value, which is the best justification for dealing him. This is undoubtedly a sell-high moment for the Hawks.

But on Wednesday, Donato, who had long since grown weary of responding to inquiries about the trade deadline, discussed the Hawks’ longer-term prospects beyond this season as if he could envision himself playing a role in them.

Unlike other players (like Seth Jones) who have become tired of the frequent losing, he still finds the chance to contribute to the development of a winning culture in Chicago appealing. With his fifth NHL team, he has established a niche and is sincere in wanting to see it prosper.

Additionally, that winning culture is fostered by Donato’s tireless work ethic. The Hawks very likely wouldn’t be in 31st place if every player worked as hard as Donato has throughout the season. When combined, those reasons provide an equally compelling case for keeping him.

If that occurs, the Hawks will most likely have to trade one or two forwards in order to make room on the NHL roster for a few forward prospects who are anticipated to graduate from college and enter the professional ranks late in the season: Ryan Greene, Dominic James (should he begin his pro contract right away), and Oliver Moore (should he enter the league this year).

Adding to the impending roster stalemate, veteran forwards Nick Foligno (back), Philipp Kurashev (hand), and Jason Dickinson (ankle) skated Wednesday morning in non-contact jerseys. Foligno in particular might make a comeback as early as Friday against Utah, according to interim coach Anders Sorensen.

Lukas Reichel, Pat Maroon, and Craig Smith are further potential trade-bait forwards for the Hawks.

Maroon and Smith are both in the same category. At best, they would be selected in the late round because they are fourth-liners with contracts that are about to expire and are nearing the end of their careers.

It would be far more difficult and contentious to trade Reichel. However, when the former first-round pick’s progress stalls, Davidson may feel that a change of scenery is necessary.