New York Rangers Free Agency 2012: Top 5 Reasons Not to Sign Shane Doan

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"Steve Nash was right. There is no loyalty in sports. It's all business and money, fantasy and spin. So go on, Shane Doan. Get out of here before your profound sense of duty becomes an embarrassment, filling you with long-term regret."

That's what Dan Bickley wrote in a recent column for azcentral.com.

Poor Captain Coyote. A player who spent his entire career with the franchise that was the original Winnipeg Jets. A player who is currently without a contract. A player who should receive multiple offers for his services. 

A player who New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather should avoid signing at all costs.

At nypost.com, Larry Brooks wrote that No. 19 is quite familiar with the Rangers coaching staff. 

Doan, who is evaluating the Phoenix ownership situation even as he has begun to review offers from pre-approved suitors including the Blueshirts, has a history with all four coaches on the Rangers’ staff, notably a long-standing friendship with assistant general manager/assistant coach Jim Schoenfeld, who was the Coyotes’ head coach in the 35-year-old’s third and fourth NHL seasons.

These relationships, according to Brooks, could make Broadway a preferred landing spot if Doan decides to leave Phoenix. But how about this for a howling revelation: The Rangers would be much better suited if Doan doesn't sign on the dotted line. 

Want to know why?

Read on for five compelling reasons.

Doan Undoubtedly Digs Playing in Phoenix

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Let's face it. The captain without a contract wants to finish his playing career in the Valley of the Sun. According to Lyle Richardson of The Hockey News:

"Doan’s preference is to re-sign with Phoenix and management hopes he does, but he’s reluctant to commit long-term to a franchise whose future in Arizona remains in doubt."

Hopefully, Glen Sather didn't read the back half of that sentence.

No. 19 Is About to Have Birthday No. 36

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The Rangers have preached for years about the importance of getting younger. And they've done it. Now is not the time to hand out millions to a player who's getting closer to the end of the road. Shane Doan will celebrate his 36th birthday on October 10.

This Desert Dog Will Demand Lots of Dough

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According to capgeek.com, Doan made $4.55 million in 2012. And since this will probably be his last contract, he could be looking for a three or four-year deal at $6 million-plus per season. If you're Glen Sather, do you really want a player who'll be 40 years old at the end of that kind of contract?

He Won't Get a Letter on His Sweater

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The Rangers room is populated by character players. And when Ryan Callahan is your captain and Brad Richards, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi are your alternate captains, you don't need another big voice in the room. Doan may not want to travel cross-country to take a back seat in the Blueshirts dressing room.

Waiting for Corey...Now That's Another Story

courtesy of ducks.nhl.com

Next season's crop of unrestricted free agents is considerably better than this year's. And Corey Perry, the Anaheim Ducks rapid-fire right winger, could be at the top of the list. A Stanley Cup-winning sniper at the top of his game, he would absolutely be a prime target for the Rangers.