Coyle is a guy who you can more or less play C on his own, without any skilled guys, just plumbers. I think the more work you load on him, the better. He has a tendency to defer, and disappear, when he plays wing, or with more talented teammates. I think he might be in such awe of Bergeron and Marchand that he wouldn't play selfish enough, which is when he is best.
Part of the problem with him in MN was that he kept getting moved from RW to C and back, and was playing on anywhere from the 1st line to the 3rd. Sometimes PP, sometimes not. I wonder if he would flourish if he had a clear role. Perhaps if he lead a checking line at C, then it would free up Bergeron and Krecji for more offensive duties. In a pinch, if either of those two are getting bullied, then he could always play RW for a while on their lines. He's not a fighter, but he's a big, strong guy who will rattle some cages.
Donato is scoring , and scoring at clutch times, but at this point I think it's fool's gold. He has a fraction of Coyle's physical gifts...much weaker, slower, and limited in that he can only play wing. He needs a good off season in the weight room. Wish we had gotten Frederic instead...nothing against Donato, but MN doesn't need LW's, and are desperate for young C's.