There are guys scattered all over the league that you may not like. But just because you don’t like the player doesn’t mean that you can’t respect him. Those were my feelings on Shane Doan for the better part of his career with the Phoenix Coyotes. I’m sure I would have liked him if he was on my team—but he wasn’t. So I didn’t. But as time goes on and I get a better idea of what it takes to win in the NHL, I can’t say that I hate him. In fact, I have an insane amount of respect for the guy that has been the heart-and-soul of the Coyotes for the better part of the decade. That is, of course, except when he’s playing my team. Then I just fear him—and hate him a little bit.
Just because he doesnt play in Ontario doesn't mean he's any less talented...
Last night’s game in Columbus against the Blue Jackets was Shane Doan 1000th game of his career. Playing his milestone game in a smaller, less publicized market seems appropriate for the guy that has flown under the radar for the majority of his playing career. But just because people in Toronto and New York think that he deserves better than playing in a place that he loves, that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been one of the better players over the last 14 years.
With the inclusion of Doan, 248 people have played at least 1,000 games in the NHL. For a guy that plays the physical and gritty style that Doan plays, it’s amazing that he’s made it this far this quickly. Think about how much the human body goes through in 1,000 NHL games. It’s almost as painful as listening to Little Drummer Boy 1,000 times every December. Almost.
Milestone games are a great opportunity to take a quick look back at what a guy has accomplished up to that point. He’s among the franchise leaders in games played, goals, assists and points. But even though he never really has had that “breakout year,” his career totals shouldn’t surprise anyone. A usual season for Doan is 25-30 goals, 35-40 assists and about 147 pissed off opponents.
More important than box scores or even the media’s opinion, there might not be a more RESPECTED player in the entire NHL than the captain for the Coyotes. Here are things that just a few people had to say about Mr. Doan:
“Great captain. One of the best guys I’ve ever had the chance to play with.” –Scottie Upshall
“He’s one of the finest men you’ll ever meet.” –Kevin Allen (NHL correspondant for USA Today)
“To start out, he’s probably the nicest human being I’ve ever met. You meet him off the ice you probably never know he’s a fierce competitor. He switches like that when it comes to game time.” –Flames Forward Fredrik Sjostrom (Arizona Republic)
I had the opportunity to sit on the glass at Jobing.com Arena earlier this season to watch the Coyotes in action. Anyone that has ever sat in seats like that will tell you that you have a ton of obstructed views and can’t see the puck on the other side of the ice. But sitting on the glass, there are certainly things that you see that you could never get an adequate understanding of on television or from the 200 level. Shane Doan’s entire game is exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t get a full appreciation of his leadership or brute strength until its RIGHT in front of you. At 33 years old in his 14th year in the league, he was one of the strongest men on the ice. His leadership was obvious even in warm-ups—and just became more apparent as the puck was dropped for the opening face-off.
He’s obviously a fan favorite in Phoenix for very good reason. Even though 248 players have reached the century mark, only 24 of them have accomplished the feat with the team that drafted them. There’s no question that he’s 100% a Winnipeg Jet Phoenix Coyote through and through. He’s worn the “C” on his chest since the beginning of the 2003 season and shown that he is one of the best leaders the game has to offer. He’ll excite both his team and the fans with beautiful goals, devastating body checks and even a few fights. But when I had an entire section that kept yelling “Keep it up Doaner,” I won’t lie. It still felt a little weird.
This season in the desert has brought with it a brand new set of challenges for the face of the Coyotes. Instead of talking about his 1,000 game or the Coyotes successful start to the season, he is forced to continually answer questions about ownership groups, struggling attendance figures and possible franchise relocation. It’s a shame that traditional markets and mainstream media alike cannot look past the business side of hockey in the desert and give the 2-time all-star his due. How many players can say that they’ve been the captain of Team Canada at ANY level—let alone the World Championships? Doesn’t he deserve better?
This should a moment that everyone bags their agendas for a day and pays a little respect to a player that has shown he deserves it. There aren’t many guys in the league that 30 teams would want—but Shane Doan is one of them. As an opponent, seeing that guy 6 times per year is about 6 times too many. But as a fan of hockey, the man has all of my respect. He’s earned it.
But I’m still not going to call him Doaner.
