Ryan Donato is giving the Boston Bruins something to think about as the regular season enter the final stretch.

Donato has exceeded expectations and captured the world’s attention in the process after he appeared for Team USA in the men’s ice hockey tournament portion of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea.

Although the USA Olympic hockey team failed to earn a medal after bowing out to to the Czech Republic in a shootout in the quarterfinals, Donato was one of the driving forces behind any of the success that the team had.

Donato finished the tournament with five goals and a total of six points, potting four goals total against Slovakia’s team; two of which came in an elimination game against the country.

Donato’s success on the world stage has left hockey fans all over the United States buzzing about his talent. Of course, Bruins fans have known about his talent for a while, following him throughout his years playing in Massachusetts at Harvard University, as well as keeping tabs on him through the four years he has participated in the Bruins’ summer development camp.

At Harvard, Donato already showcased his knack for finding the back of the net with two straight NCAA seasons of more than 20 goals, including a new high of 22 this season. With 33 points in just 24 games at the collegiate level, Donato is attempting to lead Harvard back to the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament after appearing in the semifinals last year.

The Bruins drafted Donato in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. His father, Ted, who is incidentally the coach of Harvard’s ice hockey team, was a former NHL player who was also drafted by the Bruins and spent the majority of his 14-year career with Boston.

Ted’s ties with the organization have stuck with his son, who has made it known that he would love to play for the Bruins when the time comes for him to make a decision to play professionally.

His recent success at both the collegiate and international levels might make his desire to play for the Bruins a reality.

With the trade deadline approaching and rumors that the Bruins are looking to add reinforcements on offense to gear up for a playoff run, Donato may be the answer they are looking for.

After already acquiring defenseman Nick Holden from the New York Rangers for their third-round pick and prospect Rob O’Gara and flipping depth forward Frank Vatrano to the Florida Panthers for a replacement third-round pick, the Bruins left their roster with exactly 12 forwards, nine defenseman and two goalies, implying that a move to acquire a new forward may be in the works to add depth to the 12 forwards that will be on the ice. Ryan Donato could be the depth piece that they are looking for.

The Bruins know all too well that injuries can derail a team’s hopes to make noise in the postseason after they needed to play 10 total defensemen in the first round last year against the Ottawa Senators. Signing Donato would give the Bruins an additional forward that they can stick into the lineup, as well as give the team depth down the stretch if they need additional bodies. It would also prevent the Bruins from having to dig into their prospect pool and part with the young talent needed to acquire a proven veteran.

With a shot of his caliber, Donato could prove to be a significant offensive piece for Bruins if they elect to offer him an entry-level contract.