Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan could be playing his final games with the club, with the possibility of a trade only getting stronger as the February 27 trade deadline approaches.
While he would like to remain with the club, Doan tells Chris Johnston of Canadian Press that he is rethinking his future with the club due to the uncertain state of the ownership in Phoenix.
Obviously, I’d be pretty naive to not think that way. At the same time, everything is kind of focused on waiting to see how our team’s doing and what we’re doing and what’s going on with the ownership and different things. (I’ll) make a decision then I guess. But yeah, I’d be stupid not to be looking at (my options) and thinking about everything else.
The longest current serving member of the Coyotes, Doan was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1995 and moved Phoenix as the club relocated there in 1996. Not difficult to understand why, if it were up to him, Doan would like to retire a Coyote. But he is set to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1st, and with no progress on a new contract — mostly due to the ownership situation — Doan could be on his way out of Phoenix for good.
Not so, says Coyotes general manager Don Maloney.
I have no question in my mind that if we’re playing in Phoenix next season that Shane Doan will be a part of this organization. None whatsoever.
Still, it’s hard to predict whether the NHL can find an ownership group that promise to keep the club in Phoenix. While reports indicate that he League has no plans to relocate the club elsewhere, there are many in the hockey world who believe that that is inevitable.
Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea reported earlier in the month that Doan would be more perceptive to a trade if the Coyotes were to relocate — especially if it were to be to a Canadian city.
My preference is to stay here (in Phoenix). I’ve made that clear. But at the same time, obviously if the team’s not here and we’re not here everything is quite a bit different. It’s been that way for the last two years, but I’ve been kind of blocking it out. But I recognize that in the next three weeks it’s probably going to come to a head. If not then, it’s going to come to a head in the summer.
As for Maloney he told ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun at the end of January, that the only way he moves Doan is if the player asks to be traded.
Shane is the soul of this franchise; as long as we’re here and he wants to stay here, then he’ll be here. I have no question whatsoever that if we get an ownership group in place, then we’ll get a deal done with Shane. He’s not going anywhere, unless of course he came to us and asked us otherwise. He’s still a very good player, and we want him here for a few more years.
Phoenix Coyotes forward Shane Doan. Photo courtesy Flickr user canyonero.
But since Doan has a no-movement clause in his contract, he has control over where he would end up playing for the remainder of the season. Maloney says that both sides would have to agree on what that destination is.
The only way something would occur is if both parties are in 100 per cent agreement on what that change would be.
What is making things difficult for Doan, and Maloney, is that the Coyotes have put together a string of victories that has propelled them into the eight and last playoff seed in the Western Conference.
For Doan, it’s trying to determine whether to give it one more try with the Coyotes or perhaps finally realize that achieving his dream of winning a Stanley Cup with the Coyotes may never become a reality and move on.
It’s one of those things where you don’t really know what to say. I’ve put in a lot of time here and I want to win here and I want to find a way to make this work here. At the same time, you have to be a little bit realistic in looking at everything. The days are counting down now.
For Maloney, it’s a matter of whether he tries to bolster his line up to capture a playoff spot, or whether he tries to get a head start on next season by selling off expensive veterans and pending UFAs, like Doan. For now, Maloney remains optimistic and says that if the club is in a playoff position near the deadline, he has the cap room to add players for a Cup run.
We still have some room available to us if we wanted to add something.
Should that not be the case, and he and Doan agree that the time is right for both sides to part ways, the SportsNet’s HockeyCentral Trade Tracker panel suggests that a number of teams looking to bolster their offense would have interest in acquiring the 35-year-old winger.
The list includes the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. The HockeyCentral panel suggested that the Rangers may have the inside track because their need of a veteran winger and their general manager’s great relationship — personal and professional — with Maloney.
Don’t look for Doan to end up to reunite with former Kamloops Blazers teammate Jarome Iginal in Calgary, however. The Flames simply don’t have the assets — young prospects — to make a deal.
And that is the reason why another team that would be interested in adding some secondary scoring on the wings, the San Jose Sharks, aren’t expected to make a play for Doan, according to David Pollak of the Mercury News and Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea. Both believe that the Sharks would not pay the “enormous” price it would cost to acquire Doan.
