It’s the end of an era in Arizona, as the Coyotes will not be bringing Shane Doan back for the 2017-18 season.
The team made the announcement on Monday via a press release, with owner, chairman and governor Andrew Barroway issuing the following statement about the franchise’s longtime captain:
“After serious consideration, we have decided to not offer Shane Doan a contract for the upcoming season. The time has come for us to move on and to focus on our young, talented group of players and our very bright future. This was a very difficult decision given what Shane has done for the Coyotes and his unparalleled importance to the organization. With that said, this is necessary to move us forward as a franchise.
“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to sincerely thank Shane for everything he’s done for the Coyotes on and off the ice the past 21 years. Shane is a Valley icon who had an incredible career and was one of the best captains to ever play in the NHL.
“Shane deserves an enormous amount of credit for keeping the Coyotes in the Valley and for growing the game of hockey in Arizona. He is beloved by our fans, corporate partners and the media and has been a tremendous leader for us in the community, and a great role model for kids. We wish him and his family all the best in the future. He will be a member of our Pack forever.”
According to a report, Doan was still undecided about his hockey future as of last week.
The 40-year-old has spent his entire career with the organization, beginning with the pre-relocation Winnipeg Jets in 1995-96, and has served as captain since 2003-04. He registered 402 goals and 570 assists for 972 points in 1,540 career NHL games — all of which are franchise records.
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