Doan aims to follow in father's footsteps with Coyotes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The first family of Arizona hockey suddenly finds itself a divided household.

Shane Doan has been the Arizona Coyotes' icon for more than a quarter century, first as the leading scorer in team history and more recently as a front office executive. His eldest son, Josh Doan, was a second-round pick (No. 37) by the Coyotes in the 2021 NHL Draft.

"I've been wrapped with this logo since [year] zero," Josh said.

But when Josh reports to the Coyotes' training camp in mid-September -- partly held at the Shane Doan Rink, by the way -- his dad won't be there. For the first time since he was drafted by what was then the Winnipeg Jets in 1995, Shane's loyalties belong to another NHL franchise.

The elder Doan was hired as special adviser to Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving on June 9, a move that reunites him with Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, who grew up in Arizona and has known Shane since he was 16.

"I love the Coyotes and I've been here [in Arizona] a long time," Shane Doan said. "[But] the Maple Leafs are one of the premier not just hockey franchises, but sports franchises in the world. That doesn't come along very often, and that made it something I couldn't pass up."

However, it means he'll now have a long-distance relationship with his 21-year-old son, a forward who is expected to begin the season with Tucson of the American Hockey League, along with younger son Carson and daughters Gracie and Karys.

It also creates an in-family quandary. Who do the Doan siblings root for, their brother or their dad?

"I know my older sister [Gracie], she's got a Maple Leafs and a Coyotes sticker on the back of her car now, so she's jumped ship pretty quickly," Josh Doan said. "This [Coyotes] organization means everything to the family and obviously it's an emotional thing. He's still a Coyote to his roots; he said it was an emotional day at the draft because we're [in] different colors."

Shane's departure disappointed Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny, who relied on him to run Arizona's power play. But the younger Doan doesn't think his father's absence will set him back as he himself tries to reach the NHL.

"It's been special getting to share times at the rink with him, but there's still all the people here who were around when I was a kid … it kind of makes me feel at home," Josh Doan said. "So, having him around doesn't really change anything at the rink."

There was some thought he might play four seasons at Arizona State, but he chose to leave after having 75 points (28 goals, 47 assists) in 74 games over two seasons, saying he didn't want to "get stagnant."

He ended last season on an amateur tryout with Tucson, showing encouraging signs with six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 AHL games.

The Coyotes still want the younger Doan (6-foot-1, 183 pounds) to get a bit stronger, be more of a forceful presence with the puck and extend the significant progress he has displayed the past two seasons.

Josh said his entire offseason focus is on getting his game to an NHL level.

"The end goal is always to play with the Coyotes," he said. "If you're not competing for the top spot and the top level, then there's no point in really being here."