The Fan Hub

Now that the two big names of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are off the market, and Alexander Semin is getting little to no interest from most of the big market teams, the most coveted free agent left is without a doubt the long-time captain of the Coyotes, right wing Shane Doan. Doan, however, doesn’t want to go anywhere. The only problem is that he may have to do just that.

Having played his entire 16-year career with the same organization, including the team’s entire 15-year stay in Phoenix, it’s easy to understand why Doan doesn’t want to go anywhere. But with the Coyotes’ ownership and financial situation being what it is and their long-term future in Arizona very much up in the air, he also doesn’t want to commit to a new deal without some reassurance that he’s not going to have to uproot his family.

Doan originally said that he was not going to start fielding offers from other teams until July 9, when the ownership and arena situations were expected to get some more clarity. But with legal battles continuing over where the team will play next year and subsequently who will own them, Doan has given them another week to get things sorted out before he starts to really dig into other options for where to play in 2012-13 and beyond.

But now, with even some of his fellow Phoenicians telling him that his best bet is leave town, this deadline extension seems like a pointless exercise. One thing he doesn’t have to worry about, however, is a lack of suitors if and when he does make his services available. His agent says that at least 16 teams have expressed interest, a group that include attractive destinations like the defending champion Kings, Red Wings, Rangers, Penguins, Flyers, and Sharks.

Doan will likely get at least a three-year deal worth between $5 and $6 million wherever he goes, but it’s going to be weird to see him in a different jersey.

— Craig Lowell