NY Rangers Rumors: Shane Doan Is a Must for Blueshirts

Marian Gaborik is going to be out until at least December thanks to a torn labrum in his shoulder. His absence leaves the New York Rangers without their first-line right winger.

Fortunately for the Blueshirts, Shane Doan is on the market.

According to the New York Post's Larry Brooks, the 35-year-old veteran is on the team's radar:

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The Rangers, meanwhile, will be among those teams making a pitch to Phoenix free agent left wing Shane Doan should the 35-year-old decide to leave the Coyotes.

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Last week, Brooks shared Doan's agent's comments regarding his client's free-agency situation:

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We haven’t entered into negotiations with any other teams, but Shane wants to be forthright and honest with clubs that have contacted us, and so we’ve let these clubs know whether there is mutual interest. I don’t want to be specific about what teams those are, but there are no restrictions against negotiating with teams in the East ... or the one in Manhattan.

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The Phoenix Coyotes' ownership situation is still unresolved, according to UPI.com. The murkier that saga gets, the better chance the Rangers have of bringing in a viable option at right wing.

Doan scored 22 goals and notched 28 assists last season in 79 games. He's not a powerhouse in terms of goal scoring, but he can certainly provide a secondary option with Gaborik out.

Not to mention he could be fit for the second line, if John Tortorella chooses to make Ryan Callahan a first-liner until Gaborik returns.

Last season, the Rangers' power play was one of their glaring weaknesses, although it wasn't dreadful. Doan scored five power-play goals last season and added nine power-play helpers. That wasn't a fluke performance, either—Doan has been consistently solid on the power play for his entire career.

The Rangers lost Brandon Prust in free agency to the Montreal Canadiens. He's one of the most feared enforcers in the league, and the Rangers compensated for his departure by signing Arron Asham and Michael Haley.

Unfortunately, the latter two won't help on the penalty kill like Doan would be able to. Doan helped the Coyotes finish eighth in the penalty-kill department, just three spots behind the Rangers. He was one of the most solid options on the kill for the Coyotes.

New York struggled somewhat in the playoffs to put the puck in the net, a problem that Doan would alleviate. He tallied nine points in last year's playoffs—a total that the Rangers sorely needed.

Doan isn't going to change the whole dynamic of the Rangers, but he would certainly help in some areas. If the Coyotes' ownership situation isn't resolved shortly, and Doan makes it known that he would like to play in Manhattan, there's no reason for the Rangers not to take a chance on him.