It does not sound like Shane Doan’s departure from the Arizona Coyotes was wholly amicable.
Doan did not release a statement via the Coyotes when the club broke the news Monday afternoon.
His agent, Terry Bross, then called the team’s decision a “very sad day for Arizona hockey.”
“Shane is ready to enter the free-agent market and see where it goes,” Bross added, per Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports. “Time for him to get a shot at the Cup.”
Doan, of course, didn’t get much of a Stanley Cup shot during his final few years in Arizona. The Coyotes haven’t made the playoffs since 2012, and that was a source of frustration for the captain.
He didn’t love the idea to rebuild.
He didn’t enjoy the annual selloffs at the trade deadline.
But he stuck with them anyway, signing a one-year extension in 2016.
It’s possible that today’s decision was partly related to Andrew Barroway’s buyout of his minority partners, which was only completed last week.
According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, there were “various disputes” between the owners that the buyout would purportedly settle.
Perhaps what to do with Doan was one of those disputes.
Of note, it was Barroway -- not GM John Chayka -- who released the statement saying a new contract would not be offered to Doan.
Previous management had said that Doan would remain with the Coyotes “as long as he wants to stay with us.”
Doan's agent, Terry Bross, said Doan is excited to enter free-agent market. Doan's agent thinks Doan "more so than ever" now wants to play.
— Sarah McLellan (@sarah__mclellan) June 19, 2017