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Coyotes GM Chayka: If Doan wants to go, I’d have that discussion with him

Jan 18, 2017, 10:02 AM | Updated: 11:42 am

(AP Photo/Christine Cotter)...

(AP Photo/Christine Cotter)

(AP Photo/Christine Cotter)

LISTEN: John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes general manager

The news was, if not out of nowhere, moderately surprising.

Shane Doan, the Arizona Coyotes’ captain and longest-tenured player, would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if it meant he would have a legitimate shot at winning a Stanley Cup.

“It would have to be so perfect, so right. It’s pretty hard for it all to line up perfectly,” he admitted after a recent game.

Doan, who at 40 years of age is in his 21st season with the Coyotes franchise, has had opportunities to leave in the past as a free agent, but has always decided to return to the only organization he has ever known.

But this season has not been a great one for him or the team, with the veteran notching just 12 points in 43 games and the Coyotes boasting the second-worst record in the NHL. That’s why, in a lot of ways, it comes as no surprise that Doan would at least have mild interest in exploring other options.

The concept that he would be, though, is not something that has essentially blindsided GM John Chayka.

“Like anything, I think it’s more being made of it than maybe there is to it, but at the same time, I think Shane came out and basically said that it’s not something that he hasn’t looked at in the past, when you know you’ve got a team that isn’t winning like we are,” he told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday morning. “For Shane, I think, just like any player, he wants to play in the playoffs and he wants to win a Stanley Cup.

“But, if you listen to what he said, he’s looking for kind of that perfect spot; that may or may not exist. We signed Shane to be a Coyote and certainly we want him to be here and that’s the plan, but at the same time, I respect him so much that if he ever came to me with an idea, I would certainly listen to him and we’d have that discussion.”

Chayka, who is in his first season as the Coyotes’ general manager, added Doan has not yet come to him asking to be dealt nor has he approached Doan about a potential move.

The idea of parting with Doan, who leads the franchise in nearly every important statistical category, is one that might be difficult for some to stomach. As great an ambassador as a franchise could have, given his loyalty, production and personality, Doan has been a Coyote for as long as the franchise has, well, been the Coyotes.

Last season, after posting 47 points, the negotiations to bring him back did not exactly go smoothly, though even while it took a bit of time to get a deal done, Doan maintained he never had any interest in signing with a different team despite opportunities to do so.

But at that time, Doan saw a Coyotes squad that featured plenty of young talent and could, if everything went right, could be competitive in the Western Conference.

Things have not gone right — in fact, quite the opposite — and now the Coyotes and their most identifiable player would seem to be at a crossroads.

Chayka does not see it that way.

“Nothing changed,” he said. “I think it’s less about maybe Shane and more about maybe our current situation in terms of our record and our team and where we are in our life cycle of our organization.

“He’s a veteran player that would like to have a chance to win a Stanley Cup and certainly was trying here and hoped to have a better run here in terms of our record. I just think it’s natural for players of that age to start looking at the potential of it. And again, it’s not something that’s set in stone or anything like that.”

Chayka went on to say he just thinks Doan was being transparent with his thoughts, and sometimes that makes news.

“Shane’s a Coyote for now and we’re happy to have him,” he said.

For now, the GM said he is hopeful Doan will remain in Arizona and continue to work with the younger players while helping the organization to grow.

“But at the same time, that might be a selfish view of things,” he admitted. “If Shane were to come to me with a different idea, then I’d have that conversation with him.”

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Coyotes GM Chayka: If Doan wants to go, I’d have that discussion with him