Josh Doan was phenomenal in his NHL debut on Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators as he scored two goals, leading the Arizona Coyotes to a 6-2 victory. If it wasn’t the case already, there are now a lot of expectations surrounding Doan and what he can do for the Coyotes in the future. 240326 Doan Post How much potential does Doan actually have? Doan wasn’t always the most highly touted prospect out there. With his father Shane Doan playing in Arizona for practically his entire career, Josh grew up and played hockey in Arizona throughout most of his childhood years. Josh spent a season in the USHL for the Chicago Steel but it was at Arizona State University where he truly made a name for himself. He served as captain of the Sun Devils during the 2022-23 season where he also had 16 goals, 22 assists and 38 points. The young forward was drafted by the Coyotes in the second round in 2021, but didn’t make the leap to join the organization until 2023. Josh played his first full season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners this year. He has completely shattered expectations, tallying 26 goals, 20 assists and 46 points in 62 games. His excellent play in Tucson earned him the opportunity to show what he can do at the NHL level and he surely did not disappoint in his first game. The 22-year-old has played exceptionally well at each stop he’s been at really since his junior years. Given his mastery at all levels of hockey, Josh has given us every reason to believe he will be a great player. Josh’s big frame will allow him to play a power forward type role, create offensive opportunities for himself and provide a valuable presence in front of the net, something he did on Tuesday night. He also possesses a wicked fast shot. All of these traits give him the potential to be a lethal goalscorer in the future and really live up to the Doan name. Despite his young age, Josh is mature beyond his years and has proven to be a strong leader in any given locker room. Josh’s skill sets on top of his infectious personality should have Coyotes’ fans excited for what is to come down the road.
