Coyotes Icon Shane Doan Retires After 21 Seasons
Shane Doan, the NHL’s last active player from the original Winnipeg Jets, has announced his retirement after 21 years in the league.
“I’ve been blessed and I’m so grateful for the fans and their support,” Doan wrote in a letter in the Arizona Republic announcing the move. “They stuck by me throughout my career and the ups and downs of the Coyotes. There are a lot of players with more skill than me and a lot more ability than me that didn’t ever get the type of appreciation that I got and the type of respect that the fans gave me, and I’m so grateful for that. I can’t express how much I appreciate it. Thank you for watching me grow up, and I enjoyed watching a lot of you grow up, too.”
Doan, 40, spent 21 years with the Coyotes franchise but the team confirmed in July that it would not offer him a new contract.
Doan scored 28 goals two seasons ago, his highest total in six years, but managed just six goals in 74 games last season. He also averaged just 15:03 of ice time per game, his lowest since 1998–99.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported after the Coyotes parted ways with Doan that the team is expected to offer him a non-playing role.