Ted Donato

Ted Donato
Donato in 2023
Born (1969-04-28) April 28, 1969 (age 57)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Dallas Stars
Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues
New York Rangers
National team  United States
NHL draft 98th overall, 1987
Boston Bruins
Playing career 1991–2004
Coaching career
Biographical details
EducationHarvard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2004–2026Harvard
2026-presentNew Jersey Devils (assistant coach)
Head coaching record
Overall334–292–77 (.530)
Tournaments2–8 (.200)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships

Edward Paul Donato (born April 28, 1969) is an American ice hockey coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as the head coach at Harvard University from 2004 to 2026, and is the winningest coach in program history.

Early and personal life

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Donato grew up in Dedham, Massachusetts and attended Catholic Memorial High School, where he became the high school's all-time leading goalscorer.

Playing career

Donato was selected 98th overall in the 1987 NHL entry draft by the Boston Bruins. He played his high school hockey at Catholic Memorial, college hockey at Harvard University, and then moved up to the NHL for the 1991–92 season. Donato played 796 career NHL games, scoring 150 goals and 197 assists for 347 points. During his career, Donato played for the Bruins, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers.

He played his youth hockey for the Hyde Park Eagles, a Boston neighborhood organization, where a banner still hangs honoring his time playing for Hyde Park Youth Hockey.

Donato is the second professional hockey player to appear on the show The Price Is Right (winning his way on-stage and making it to the Showcase Showdown), the first player in the NHL to appear.

In 2023 he would be named one of the top 100 Bruins players of all time.

Coaching career

Donato was the head coach of his alma mater, Harvard University from 2004 to 2026. On December 6, 2025, following a 3–0 victory against the Brown Bears, Donato became the winningest men's ice hockey coach in Harvard history, surpassing his former coach Bill Cleary. On May 7, 2026, he stepped down as head coach. He finished his career as the all-time winningest coach in program history, with a 334–292–77 record and led the Crimson to the 2017 Frozen Four, and won four ECAC tournament championships.

On July 15, 2026, Donato was named assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils.

Personal life

Donato is married to Jeannine Donato. The couple have four children. His son Ryan was selected by the Boston Bruins in the 2014 NHL entry draft and currently plays with the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1986–87Catholic Memorial SchoolHS-MA2229346330—————
1987–88Harvard CrimsonECAC2812142624—————
1988–89Harvard CrimsonECAC3414375130—————
1989–90Harvard CrimsonECAC16561134—————
1990–91Harvard CrimsonECAC2819375626—————
1991–92United StatesIntl5211223324—————
1991–92Boston BruinsNHL101238153474
1992–93Boston BruinsNHL821520356140110
1993–94Boston BruinsNHL84223254591342610
1994–95TuTo Hockey SM-l14551047—————
1994–95Boston BruinsNHL471010201050004
1995–96Boston BruinsNHL822326494651232
1996–97Boston BruinsNHL6725265137—————
1997–98Boston BruinsNHL791623395450002
1998–99Boston BruinsNHL141344—————
1998–99New York IslandersNHL557111827—————
1998–99Ottawa SenatorsNHL133251010000
1999–2000Mighty Ducks of AnaheimNHL8111193026—————
2000–01Dallas StarsNHL65817252680110
2001–02Manchester MonarchsAHL361825431951340
2001–02Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL10000—————
2001–02New York IslandersNHL10000—————
2001–02Los Angeles KingsNHL20002—————
2001–02St. Louis BluesNHL20002—————
2002–03Hartford Wolf PackAHL188122014—————
2002–03New York RangersNHL492136—————
2003–04Boston BruinsNHL6365111820000
2003–04Providence BruinsAHL15391224—————
NHL totals 796 150 197 347 396 58 8 10 18 22

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1988 United States WJC 6th 7 3 2 5 18
1992 United States OG 4th 8 4 3 7 8
1997 United States WC 6th 8 4 2 6 8
1999 United States WC 6th 6 2 6 8 6
2002 United States WC 7th 7 1 3 4 2
Junior totals 7 3 2 5 18
Senior totals 29 11 14 25 24

Head coaching record

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Harvard Crimson (ECAC Hockey) (2004–present)
2004–05 Harvard 21–10–315–5–22ndNCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals
2005–06 Harvard 21–12–213–8–24thNCAA East Regional Semifinals
2006–07 Harvard 14–17–210–10–2t-7thECAC Quarterfinals
2007–08 Harvard 17–13–412–7–33rdECAC Runner-Up
2008–09 Harvard 9–16–69–7–6t-5thECAC First Round
2009–10 Harvard 9–21–37–12–3t-8thECAC Quarterfinals
2010–11 Harvard 12–21–17–14–16thECAC Quarterfinals
2011–12 Harvard 13–10–118–5–93rdECAC Runner-Up
2012–13 Harvard 10–19–36–14–212thECAC First Round
2013–14 Harvard 10–17–46–12–411thECAC First Round
2014–15 Harvard 21–13–311–8–36thNCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals
2015–16 Harvard 19–11–412–6–43rdNCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals
2016–17 Harvard 28–6–216–4–2t-1stNCAA Frozen Four
2017–18 Harvard 15–14–411–8–34thECAC Semifinals
2018–19 Harvard 19–11–313–7–2T–3rdNCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals
2019–20 Harvard 15–10–611–6–55thECAC Quarterfinals
2021–22 Harvard 21–11–314–6–2T–2ndNCAA East Regional Semifinals
2022–23 Harvard 24–8–218–4–02ndNCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals
2023–24 Harvard 7–19–66–10–68thECAC Quarterfinals
2024–25 Harvard 13–17–39–10–37thECAC Quarterfinals
2025–26 Harvard 16–16–211–10–16thECAC Quarterfinals
Harvard: 334–292–77225–183–65
Total:334–292–77

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Awards and honors

Award Year
All-NCAA All-Tournament team 1989
NCAA Tournament MVP 1989
All-ECAC Hockey First Team 1990–91

References

  1. ↑ "Devils Announce Additions to Coaching, Development Staff| Sports | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Donato Becomes Winningest Coach in Hockey Program History as Harvard Beats Brown 7-3 | Sports | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Ted Donato - 1990-91 - Men's Ice Hockey". Harvard University. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Ted Donato '91 - The Robert D. Ziff '88 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Ice Hockey - Staff Directory". Harvard University. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  5. ↑ Bruins Announce “Historic 100” Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-announce-historic-100-ahead-of-all-centennial-team-reveal
  6. ↑ "After two decades, Ted Donato to step away as coach at Harvard". hockeyjournal.com. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 19, 2013.

Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database