Shane Doan was once thought to be a member of the Arizona Coyotes for life. But now, he's joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, ready for a new challenge that wasn't available in the desert.
Shane Doan spent all 21 seasons of his NHL tenure as a career Coyote.
Save for the lone season he spent with the Winnipeg Jets before the franchise packed its bags for the desert, Doan was synonymous with the Phoenix-turned-Arizona Coyotes, turning down a number of opportunities over the years to chase championship glory in other markets in favor of sticking it out in the place he came to call home.
It wasn't easy to stay in Arizona, either. Doan toed the company line amid bankruptcy and failed arena deals over his two decades of service – through NHL-sponsored ownership debacles and an on-ice product that added just one single Western Conference final appearance to its ledger.
But even after all that, Doan stayed on. He joined the team's front office in 2021 as chief hockey development officer, strengthening his ties to Arizona and focusing on growing hockey in the desert. The Coyotes even drafted Doan's son, Josh, in the second round of the 2021 draft and signed him to an entry-level contract this season.
In every way one could look at it, those roots ran deep.
And yet, on Friday afternoon, Doan held a press conference over Zoom to announce his appointment to a new position – not with the Coyotes, but with the Toronto Maple Leafs, leaving the only hockey home he's ever known at a time when the Coyotes' future in Arizona hangs in the balance.
Apparently, the allure of a reunion with new GM Brad Treliving was too tempting to resist.
"I think you have to go where people are going to improve you, and I think 'Tree' (Treliving) is one of the best managers there is around," said Doan of his decision to follow Treliving to Toronto.
The two spent seven years together in Arizona during Treliving's time as Coyotes' AGM, forming a bond that primarily influenced his decision today.
"Getting an opportunity to work with him was huge," Doan said.
A reunion with Treliving might have been the major factor in Doan's departure, but his own ambitions played a sizable part, as well. According to PHNX Sports' Craig Morgan, Doan wasn't very content with the nature of his role in the Coyotes' front office, wanting to be more involved in hockey operations than he was. And given that Doan had served as GM of Team Canada at the Olympics, a World Championship and a Spengler Cup, the itch to become more hands-on in the day-to-day operations of the hockey team was warranted.
The Coyotes, it seems, did not feel the same. And, so, their franchise icon and most beloved public figure decided to walk away.
It wasn't easy for the man most pegged as a Coyote for life, but it was necessary.
"There comes a time where you have to do stuff that makes you grow, and you have to stretch yourself," said Doan on Friday, opting to focus instead on his excitement to join the Leafs organization.
"I don't care if you love the Leafs or hate the Leafs, which a lot of people do; you can't ignore the fact that it is where hockey is so huge.
"The ability to be there and everything they've created and everything they've done as an organization to create the Leafs is special."
Doan will certainly be entering the eye of the storm as he arrives in Toronto, with the Maple Leafs set to embark upon one of the most meaningful off-seasons in franchise history. The team just went out with a whimper in the second round of the playoffs. Superstar Auston Matthews needs a contract extension. William Nylander does as well, while Mitch Marner's future with the club hangs in the balance.
These are all questions that Doan will help solve as he takes his place on Treliving's side.
The fact that Doan remains Matthews' hockey idol and happened to play a large role in his upbringing for the at-the-time rare Arizona hockey phenom will certainly help the situation. When negotiating a new deal with your franchise face, it's a shrewd move to let their childhood hero sit with you at the table.
"Whether or not I’ll be involved in helping Brad, (I don't know)," explained Doan when asked about his role in the upcoming contract saga.
"If I can help in that area, I’ll help. But at the same time, that’ll be his decision, and I’m excited for the opportunity to work with him for the next little bit."
With Doan now in place, the Maple Leafs will continue to re-shape their front office in the wake of Kyle Dubas' departure last month. Moves are coming. The clock is ticking. But Doan seems ready for whatever challenge awaits, rejuvenated by the pressure of hockey's hottest market.
“It’s the Toronto Maple Leafs," Doan said. "It’s one of the premier, not just hockey franchises, but sports franchises in the world…It was something I couldn’t pass up."