NHL Notebook: Bruins' Ryan Donato joins an elite club

When Ryan Donato made his NHL debut on March 19, he joined a unique group of players to wear the same sweater as their fathers once did for the Boston Bruins. Along with his dad Ted, the Donatos became the sixth father-son combination to play for the Bruins, joining Ab, Sr. and Ab DeMarco, Ken, Sr. and Ken Hodge, Harvey and Bill Bennett, Ron and John Grahame and Ray and Chris Bourque.

Each family has a different story of their respective experiences. Let’s start with the Grahames, who are the only father-son goalie tandem to play for the same team. Ron played 40 games for the Bruins during the 1977-78 season and posted a 26-6-7 record.



After leading the P-Bruins to the Calder Cup championship in 1999, John Grahame made his NHL debut for the Bruins the following season. He suffered a 4-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 4, 1999 at Air Canada Centre, but fortunately, his parents were able to attend the game.

“It was a nervous time for sure,” admitted Ron Grahame, who is the director of athletics at the University of Denver. “It was fun to see him play. It was fun to see him play at that level. It really brought back memories of where he had started and where we started as a family and to see him at that point, especially in Toronto, which the Leafs were the team that I followed growing up in Western Canada. To watch him play against Toronto for the Boston Bruins was a pretty special time for us.”

“My wife Charlotte and I were pretty happy about it. You don’t expect it and there are a lot of variables that have to go into it, but we were happy he was going to have the opportunity to play in the NHL. The fact that I enjoyed the time I was there with the Bruins, and that he would be there as well, or at least start there, we were very happy about it.”

John lives in Denver and has three boys. The Grahame family is proud of its history with the Bruins.

“I am proud of it,” Ron Grahame said. “The Bruins are a great organization, a historic organization as far as the National Hockey League is concerned. To be part of that, and for John to be part of it as well was very special. We will always remember that very fondly.”

During the Original Six era, Harvey Bennett played the majority of his pro career in the AHL for the Providence Reds. As a 19-year-old goalie during the 1944-45 season, he played 25 games for the Bruins and posted a 10-12-2 record.

Bennett had three sons play in the NHL, including Harvey, Curt and Bill. While his older brothers had lengthier NHL career, Bill was the only Bennett to join his father as a member of the Bruins. Bill played a total of 31 games in the NHL, including seven in Boston during the 1978-79 season. After he was called up from Rochester of the AHL, Bennett scored on his first shift in the NHL against the Vancouver Canucks.

“My dad was at the first game and that was huge,” Bill Bennett said. “I scored my first shift. From the time it took me to jump the boards and get to the net, that’s how quick it was. My dad was there for that and I bet you he was proud.”

Harvey Bennett passed away in 2004. He was 79. the fact that Bill played for the same NHL team as his father didn’t sink in until years later.

“When you get called up like that you’re excited, but I didn’t really put it all together then,” admitted Bill. “It was my third training camp with Boston that year and I didn’t believe I would ever play in the National Hockey League, so to finally play was really something. He was so proud. He was happy.”

Then there’s the present.

Ryan Donato hasn’t had a chance to really think about what he’s accomplished the last few weeks because it’s been such a whirlwind since he finished his collegiate career at Harvard and turned pro. He believes it will all sink in once he’s able to reflect on it during the offseason.

It’s unique that Ryan has worn the three of the same hockey sweaters as his father – Harvard, Team USA and now the Bruins.

“My dad has been, and my mom, she wouldn’t like it if I didn’t give her credit, but my dad has done everything for me hockey-wise and I definitely wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for both my mom and dad,” Ryan said. “My dad is a special character and to have the ability to do the same things that he did is pretty nice. I can always rely on him and talk to him because he’s been through the same experience and knows the ins and outs and the dos and don'ts. I’m really lucky to have that and share a similar experience.”

Then there’s the future.

It’s very possible Ryan Fitzgerald, who currently stars for the P-Bruins, will pull a Bruins sweater over his head to add to the father-son list. His father, Tom, played 17 years in the NHL and spent his last season with the Bruins. When Ryan, a North Reading, Mass., native makes his NHL debut, the Fitzgeralds will become the seventh duo to both play for the Bruins.

“I’d be lying to say I don’t think about it,” said Tom Fitzgerald, who’s the assistant general manager for the New Jersey Devils. “If my son’s fortunate enough to ever put on a Bruins uniform, there’s a very small group, and if we were ever added to that it would be pretty special. Until that day comes, I keep telling him to keep working and do what you’re doing. But, yeah, I envision it.”

When the Bruins signed Ryan in the fourth round (No. 120^thoverall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Tom quickly remembered his one season in Boston and Ryan as a seven-year-old hanging around the locker room.

“The day he was drafted I’m thinking, ‘This little guy just signed with the Bruins.’ That’s pretty fun,” Tom said. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I told you, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about that moment.”

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Every player in the NHL has learned how hard Bruins forward Noel Acciari can hit. His body-checking skills are nearly perfect and he's never penalized for his physical play. Over the last few games, the Johnston, R.I., native has ramped up his physicality and seemed to be more than willing to drop the gloves too but those fisticuffs never came to fruition -- until Saturday.

Acciari fought the Panthers' MacKenzie Weegar in a spirited bout at center ice and the Bruins forward clearly walked away the winner. Weegar didn't realize Acciari can throw punches with his left and he landed more than a few.

"He trucked about five guys, and sooner or later, it was going to happen," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy after the game. "He does it clean. What did he have, two penalty minutes? And it was goalie interference. I think he tried to get out of the way a couple weeks ago. He’s got the respect of the opposition, and yes, sooner or later – and he’s willing to do it. He has done it. He’ll surprise some people, too."

Veteran pugilist Adam McQuaid was impressed with his teammate's first NHL fight.

"Yeah, he did great. Now I guess it’s not a secret that he’s a lefty, but he did an awesome job," McQuaid said.

 

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With a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title with a 50-22-7 record for 107 points. The Golden Knights became the first modern-era expansion team from any of the fourth North American pro sports leagues to finish first in its division in its first season. During Saturday's victory, Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury earned his 404th career win to pass Grant Fuhr (403) for sole possession of 11th place on the NHL all-time list. It was also Vegas' last home game of the regular season and the organization retired No. 58 to remember the events of Oct. 1 and the 58 victims of the shooting in Las Vegas. . . The Penguins (45-28-6 for 96 points) clinched the team's 12th consecutive postseason appearance, which is the longest active streak in the NHL. Pittsburgh became the fourth different defending Stanley Cup champion in the modern era to clinch a playoff spot after being outside the playoff structure at the midseason point, joining the Maple Leafs (1945-46), New Jersey Devils (1995-96) and the Chicago Blackhawks (2010-11). . . Buffalo Sabres Jack Eichel registered five assists during a 7-4 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday. It was a season-high in goals for the Sabres. It was also the first time Buffalo scored seven goals since a 7-4 win over the Bruins on Jan. 31, 2013. Eichel became the first Sabres player to record five points since Thomas Vanek scored three goals and added two assists against the Bruins on Jan. 31, 2013. Pat LaFontaine also posted a six-point game against the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 10, 1993. . . Jets' Connor Hellebuyck improved to 41-11-9 to become the third U.S.-born goalie to earn 40 wins in a season, joining Tom Barrasso (43 with the Penguins in 1992-93) and Mike Richter (42 with the Rangers in 1993-94). . . Dallas Stars' Tyler Seguin reached the 40-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career. He became the 11th different players in Stars/North Stars history to reach that mark in a season.