The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired former Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan to be the Assistant to General Manager Brad Treliving.
If reports of Doan joining the Toronto Maple Leafs are true, Doan would be leaving the Coyotes organization where he was the Chief Hockey Development Officer since being hired for the position back in January 2021.
Doan will be taking over the role previously occupied by Jason Spezza during this past season, who handed in his resignation once it was learned Kyle Dubas was not going to be back with the organization.
Nick Kypreos first reported the rumours of Doan joining the Maple Leafs a few days ago and if true, this would be the first move completed by Treliving in his new role.
The Halkirk, Alberta native had a lengthy NHL career that spanned 21 seasons, all with the same organization and the final 20 being played in Arizona. Throughout his career, Doan dressed for over 1,500 games recording 402 career goals and 972 points. He recorded 20+ goals 12 times and was twice a 30-goal scorer. (hockeydb.com).
Toronto Maple Leafs Hire Shane Doan
Doan is known for his leadership which led to him earning the Mark Messier Award in 2012, as well as the King Clancy Trophy in 2010.
He represented Hockey Canada on the international stage several times including the Olympic Team, World Cup Team and six World Championship teams in which he captained the team three times.
Doan has won the championship twice in both the Memorial Cup and the World Championship, as well as once at the World Cup of Hockey.
The most intriguing part of the signing is that Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews, who happens to have just one-year left on his contract, grew up not just a Coyotes fan, but having idolized Doan, along with Daniel Briere.
Though Auston Matthews isn’t going to make a decision regarding his life and career based on who the assistant general manager is, this move certainly can’t hurt when the Leafs try to sell him on staying.
According to various Twitter scuttlebutt, Matthews and Treleving are supposed to meet up later this month to discuss a new contract.
The main reason Doan is joining the Leafs is because he and Treleving know each other from back when Treleving was an assistant GM working with the Coyotes.
As we head into arguably the most important summer in Toronto Maple Leafs history, Treliving will now have an asset in Doan beside him.