Wednesday, veteran NHL forward Shane Doan announced his retirement.
In mid-June, after 21 years with the franchise, the Arizona Coyotes advised its captain, Shane Doan, that his services were no longer required. Doan went unsigned as an unrestricted free agent, leading to today’s retirement announcement.
It’s a sad day for the NHL.
The seventh overall pick in the 1995 NHL Draft by the then-Winnipeg Jets, the 40-year-old Doan put up 972 points (402 goals, 570 assists) over 1,540 games for the franchise, which moved to Arizona following his rookie season in 1995-96.
He retires as the team’s all-time leader in four statistical categories and was the last active player to play for the original Jets’ franchise.
Doan penned a letter announcing his decision in the Arizona Republic.
“I could not fathom at the time that I would end up playing in Arizona for the next 21 years, raise a family and call this place home,” he wrote while reminiscing about his first game in Phoenix. “But that’s exactly what happened. And that’s why this has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I’m retiring from the NHL.”
Players and pundits alike took to Twitter to express their appreciation for the veteran.
The only question left is this: Is Shane Doan worthy of induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame? That’s a debate for another time. For now, we celebrate a fantastic career. Good luck, Shane.