Josh Doan to Make Professional Debut with Roadrunners on Friday

The decision to leave the Arizona State hockey program wasn't an easy one for Josh Doan.
In the end, though, it was the right one.
Doan will make his professional debut with the Arizona Coyotes' AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, on Friday after signing a three-year entry-level contract on Thursday. The 21-year-old was drafted 37th overall by the Coyotes in the 2021 NHL Draft, and will suit up at the Tucson Convention Center Arena against the Calgary Wranglers tonight.
Doan made the tough decision to leave the Sun Devils hockey program after having an hours-long conversation with his dad, Coyotes legend and current Chief Hockey Development Officer Shane Doan.

"It was hard because of how much I love ASU, the coaching staff, and the players there," Josh said. "Tuesday night my dad and I talked for about two hours, just the two of us, and it was something that we came to the conclusion that it was best for me, and I think that was the right decision."
Josh excelled during his time with Sun Devil hockey, and served as captain of the team this past season. He posted 16 goals and 22 assists in 39 games this season -- setting personal bests in both goals and points -- just one year removed from establishing school records for most points and most assists by a freshman.

Prior to that he was a standout player for the USHL's Chicago Steel, notching 70 points in 53 games during the 2020-21 season.
It was that season that piqued Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong's interest, and from that point on he was "always intrigued by his game."
"The one thing that always caught my attention about him is he makes people better around him," Armstrong said. "He's got a great hockey sense. He can make plays. He breathes that hockey sense. He's got a high hockey IQ."
In just two seasons Josh etched his place in Arizona State hockey lore, and he even scored the first-ever goal at Mullett Arena, which serves as both the Sun Devils' home rink and the Coyotes' temporary home rink.
Shane was there to witness all of it, as he has been since the very beginning. As a father, he's always tried to help steer Josh in the right direction, but at the end of the day he was there to support whatever decision was made.
"I was so impressed with his thought process," Shane said. "This is his decision, and I told him once you make your decision, go with it, don't look back, and enjoy it.
"He was confident and excited to sign, move on, and try his hand at playing pro."
That confidence, though, didn't make it any easier to tell his coach of two years, Greg Powers. Josh said that was "one of the hardest conversations that I've had," but also said Powers not only supported his decision, he was excited to see him move onto the next phase of his hockey career.
"Having the support I had this year with them, and the other captains was huge," Josh said. "It was an honor to represent ASU and to be a part of that this year. It's something that I won't forget."

Now, the former Sun Devils' captain will develop in the Coyotes' organization, a franchise that he has been a part of since the day he was born.
"I've been repping this logo since I was zero," Josh said. "It feels pretty normal at this point. It's super exciting to be officially a part of it. As much as the draft is joining the team, this takes it to the next level to where you're actually a part of the team, and get to use the resources they have to help you grow."
Josh will join a Roadrunners team that already has some familiar faces for him. For one, he played with current Tucson forward Colin Theisen in the 2021-22 season, and said the former Sun Devils captain helped him through his freshman year of college.
Theisen has spent time with both the Roadrunners and the ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators this season, and also participated in the Coyotes' Rookie Faceoff Tournament this past September in San Jose.
In addition, current Roadrunners head coach Steve Potvin was a skills coach during Josh's days with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U AAA program.
"Any time you can take one of your players and put them in the American League right away, get him going, it really benefits the player," Armstrong said. "This is going to be a huge growth step for him, and I believe it's going to pay dividends in the end."
Of course, no support structure is greater than Shane, the Coyotes' former captain who recorded 402 and 570 assists in 1,540 games played - all of which came with the same organization.

"As a dad, it's pretty special," Shane said. "It's something that we never really think is going to happen, but I'm so proud and excited for him.
"He's just an incredible young man, and it's hard to put it into words."
The professional journey starts tonight with the Roadrunners, who have 18 games left in their regular season schedule. He'll always be associated with his father, and understandably so considering his hockey roots in the state, but that association will never overshadow the person, and player, he is.
There's no pressure - only support - and that will never change.
"He's taken away all the pressure by just being dad, and just accepting the fact that if I want to play hockey it's because I want to have fun and play it," Josh said. "It's not forced on to me, and that takes away a lot of the pressure so I can just be myself and enjoy the game."