Shane Doan tested the free agent last summer but eventually decided to stick with the Phoenix Coyotes. Some might think that he might regret that decision after a tough season that ended a streak of playoff berths, but he told the Arizona Republic that’s not the case.*
“Not at all,” Doan said. “Not at all. Not once have I ever thought that. The group of guys in here is the reason why. Obviously I’m a huge fan of the city, the Valley. The organization has been great to me. But the group of guys that are in this room, that’s why you choose to stay and you stay.”
Head coach Dave Tippett doesn’t think many players would go in the same direction as the Coyotes’ 36-year-old captain.
“The unique situation with Shane, there’s not many players in sports right now that would take that leap of faith right now,” Tippett said. “That was a very unique situation. But you have lots of other players on our team that in a normal situation on a normal team that’s owned, they would probably be signed.”
With that in mind, it might be true that Doan isn’t your normal player.
* - Cynics might say that a four-year deal worth $21.2 million didn’t hurt that cause, either.