NHL Free Agents 2012: Shane Doan Wise to Wait for New Phoenix Ownership

Shane Doan is the most coveted free agent still available, but he is making the right decision by giving the Phoenix Coyotes time to sort out its ownership debacle.

Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic reported that Doan is waiting to see if Greg Jamison will purchase the team, thereby stabilizing its finances and ensuring that the franchise will not move. McLellan quotes Doan’s agent Terry Bross saying, "We're waiting to see what Mr. Jamison is going to do, now that it seems like the path has cleared to take ownership of the team. It's been a little quiet from that camp." 

Doan was drafted by the franchise in 1995 when it was still the Winnipeg Jets. He played his rookie season in Canada, then moved with the team to Arizona, and has never known another team.

The 35-year-old is the Coyotes' captain and one of the team’s best players. He has made Phoenix his home, and staying with the team that he helped to a third-place finish in the Western Conference last season would be the ideal situation.

But the franchise went bankrupt and was bought by the NHL in 2009, and the league has been trying to find an acceptable buyer since then.

Greg Jamison, a former executive with the San Jose Sharks, is heading an investment group that has been attempting to buy the franchise, but has run into problems with the local government in Glendale, Arizona.

The City Council approved $324 million in fees for the team’s arena, but residents started a petition to put the measure on the ballot in order to block the funds, as noted by Fernanda Santos of the New York Times. The petition was ultimately unsuccessful.

Despite this positive sign for the Coyotes, Jamison’s move to take over the team is not moving fast enough to satisfy Doan and his agent. "I'm concerned that (the Jamison group) hasn't been a little more active. There may be some other moving parts I don't know about,” Bross said via McLellan’s report. 

McLellan notes that Doan and his camp are trying to get confirmation from Jamison that the bid will be successful.

Doan’s patience has not limited the amount of team’s interested in taking him out of Phoenix. Arizona Sports 620’s John Gambadoro reported via Twitter that the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks have all made offers to the right winger, and Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has added the Penguins to the list of teams that are trying to strike a deal with Doan.

"

Coyotes Captain and free agent Shane Doan has 5 offers right now - confirmed are Los Angeles, San Jose and Vancouver

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo620) July 12, 2012"

"

Have confirmed the #Penguins have made offer to UFA Shane Doan and there is mutual interest. Don't have terms of offer. No timetable.

— Shelly Anderson (@pgshelly) July 16, 2012"

The forward is a consummate teammate and leader who contributed 50 points to the Coyotes last season. He would be a boost for any team hoping to make a deep playoff run. 

But he has had a fantastic career in Phoenix and his presence means the most to the only franchise he has ever known. He is continuing to be a class act by giving the team time to show that it is stable and willing to stay in Arizona.