Doan is not needed on this team now

[Redfish]

Right, being its his hometown too its more likely he ends up in Vancouver. The only reason I could see him in NY is they are a little closer to winning IMO and I'd think(speculating)that he'd rather not face the Coyotes that much if he leaves. He is pretty friendly with Nash too which could help. Its really the final piece for us. I don't think the Rangers will re-sign Gaborik but maybe HL and Callahan take a little less to fit him in. Girardi I could see them letting walk if he wants too much, plus he'll be worn down a bit by then. McIlrath and even Skjei/Andersson could be ready by then.

I've seen this view expressed more frequently than not and, frankly, it puzzles me. I look at Gaborik's performance as a Ranger and it is a PPG, 40/40 GA profile, with sound defensive performance as well. And the two seasons where he played fully healthy, he pretty much carried the scoring for the team for much of those two seasons. To me, it is a no brainer to resign him. The alternative is we have to look for a comparable free-agent or trade for another elite scorer. I think we'd be better off with simply resigning Gaborik --- winning the Stanley Cup requires the likes of Nash/Richards/Gaborik. Having just two of those three doesn't get us the cup, in my view.

[IAmARanger18]

So Doan is down to four teams it seems.

Coyotes
Canucks
Rangers
Penguins

[nyr2002nyr]

We have too many guys coming up in 2 years. We can't go 3 on his contract. Unless Sather is willing to move Staal or Girardi in 2 years.

The only way he can go 3 on Doan is to front load the first 2 a bit more and have a really small hit in year 3

[nyr2002nyr]

I've seen this view expressed more frequently than not and, frankly, it puzzles me. I look at Gaborik's performance as a Ranger and it is a PPG, 40/40 GA profile, with sound defensive performance as well. And the two seasons where he played fully healthy, he pretty much carried the scoring for the team for much of those two seasons. To me, it is a no brainer to resign him. The alternative is we have to look for a comparable free-agent or trade for another elite scorer. I think we'd be better off with simply resigning Gaborik --- winning the Stanley Cup requires the likes of Nash/Richards/Gaborik. Having just two of those three doesn't get us the cup, in my view.

I wouldnt resign him either. And you dont have to sign another elite sniper if any of the Kids turn into something more(Krieder). And maybe its just me but i have never thought of the words Gaborik and solid defensive performance together before

[Redfish]

I wouldnt resign him either. And you dont have to sign another elite sniper if any of the Kids turn into something more(Krieder). And maybe its just me but i have never thought of the words Gaborik and solid defensive performance together before

To expect a "kid" to carry a club to Stanley Cup victory is a big risk and asking way too much, in my view. None of our prospects are of Sidney Crosby caliber. Also, putting aside what I've observed, Tortorella himself has stated the need for another top-end goal scorer and commented positively throughout the season about Gaborik being defensively sound. It only seems fair to give Gaborik credit for not taking the route of many snipers who too often only play on half the ice. Finally, a look around the top Cup-contending teams in the NHL suggests 3 top-end goal scorers are needed to win it all, which is what we are after.

Again, I am puzzled by how Gaborik is dismissed as a player we can be indifferent to resigning.

[nyr2002nyr]

To expect a "kid" to carry a club to Stanley Cup victory is a big risk and asking way too much, in my view. None of our prospects are of Sidney Crosby caliber. Also, putting aside what I've observed, Tortorella himself has stated the need for another top-end goal scorer and commented positively throughout the season about Gaborik being defensively sound. It only seems fair to give Gaborik credit for not taking the route of many snipers who too often only play on half the ice. Finally, a look around the top Cup-contending teams in the NHL suggests 3 top-end goal scorers are needed to win it all, which is what we are after.

Again, I am puzzled by how Gaborik is dismissed as a player we can be indifferent to resigning.

At that point it will be an age and cost thing...We will need to sign someone yes for sure but i rather go younger at that point.

[Spock]

He may not be "needed" at this point, though I definitely think he fits the mold of what this team has been about, if not in skill set, certainly then in attitude and action on the ice. He's exactly the kind of player you want on your team, as he's a leader, is willing to sacrifice, and still has plenty of ability to warrant heavy ice-time.

But he's also allegedly seeking a lot of money over a large number of years for a guy who will be 36 in October.
A 4-year deal, which may well be what he winds up getting, is IMO, way too much for any player, particularly power-forward (they don't age well) who is north of 32 or 33.
Couple that with the fact that 40-yeard olds like Jagr and Whitney got deals worth $4.5 mil per year, which is what Doan was making last year, and you have to figure he's looking for upwards of $5-5.5 mil per or better, as this is certainly his last big pay day, and perhaps his last contract.

At that price, if I had to give him any more then 2 years, I'd probably take a pass on Doan, satnd pat, and see what's available at the deadline.

I agree with this, I think Doan was the heart and soul of the Coyotes and was certainly gritty in the playoffs stepping up and leading his team. I don't like that we got rid of Dubinsky but we do need someone to fill his spot. And a player like Doan could certainly help.

[averymustgo]

Dubinsky was a lazy, out of shape dog last year. Looking at the way he's acted since being traded, I don't expect that to change.

[ShadyOne]

To expect a "kid" to carry a club to Stanley Cup victory is a big risk and asking way too much, in my view. None of our prospects are of Sidney Crosby caliber. Also, putting aside what I've observed, Tortorella himself has stated the need for another top-end goal scorer and commented positively throughout the season about Gaborik being defensively sound. It only seems fair to give Gaborik credit for not taking the route of many snipers who too often only play on half the ice. Finally, a look around the top Cup-contending teams in the NHL suggests 3 top-end goal scorers are needed to win it all, which is what we are after.

Again, I am puzzled by how Gaborik is dismissed as a player we can be indifferent to resigning.

Agree with this...

Gaborik has been everything we wanted when we signed him. Guy has come to play, has produced big time. Even when hurt in the 2nd season, guy came out and played because we needed him to. And played with basically one arm this last playoff run, didn't say a word, and gutted it out, because we needed him to. Injury/age concerns aside, the guy has been as good for us as we could have asked. Shown he can be the only legit scoring threat and still produce. Wouldn't be happy if he doesn't end up finishing his career here.

And very excited to see how he performs when he is healthy, and playing alongside Kreider, Richards, and Nash. Gonna be fun...

[nyr2002nyr]

"Just when you thought you had a grasp on the Shane Doan situation, another report surfaces with contrasting news.

In an interview with TSN on Saturday, Doan emphasized that his goal was to remain a Coyote, and that looking outside of Phoenix was simply due diligence (see story).

But according to New York Post columnist Larry Brooks, via ProHockeyTalk, Doan is "believed to have narrowed his sights on Manhattan, Pittsburgh and Vancouver.""

[averymustgo]

Brooks is completely clueless 90% of the time. He had the Rangers giving away half their team for Nash in the beginning. Then he said they weren't offering anybody of note. Then when they made the deal, he talks about lack of depth. In reality, Nash replaced AA. Pyatt replaced Dubinsky and Erixon wasn't on the team last year so it doesn't matter.

[theProdigy223]

If Doan comes here, it will NOT be for 4/30. A 7.5m hit is just not feasible for that long when we have so many RFAs starting next year. McDonagh and Stepan will want, and deserve, big raises.

If we get him for 2 years, I'm for it. Id be ok with Boyle as a 3rd line center if he ends up playing with Hagelin and Doan (once Gabby is back that is). Either way, the third line still needs to be addressed. The Nash trade was a steal, but the third line remains far too thin.

[nyr1980]

They can definitely use a body for the thirs line, but at this point, the high-end depth is so much better than it was at the outset of last season.

Last year, going into the season, the top 6 was looking like:
Richards
Gaborik
Callahan
Dubinsky
Stepan
Anisimov (and he's a cusp player there at best)

Now, they're looking like:
Richards
Callahan
Nash
Stepan
Kreider
Hagelin
Gaborik (when he is healthy)

Adding Kreider, Nash, and Hags at the expense of Dubi and AA is huge.

It surely thins the 3rd line/bottom six, as does the loss of Prust, but no matter the team, it is driven offensively by the top-6.

Even the loss of Prust is, IMO, off set by the acquisiton of Pyatt. As much as I like Prust, Pyatt is at least as good, if not better, and certainly better as he's not coming at $10 mill over 4 years.

Halpern is beter than Mitchell as well.

[averymustgo]

Would Doan make the team better? Yes. Obviously. However, at the end of this year and next, the team has a lot of RFA's and UFA's that will want big raises. You can't lock Doan up for more than 2 years. Doan has never had any balls leaving the Yotes. He'll go back there.

[nyr1980]

Im still leaning towards him going back to the desert. he's said all along that's what he wants to do and that's the reason he's waiting around so long, so that he can.

Camps all open around 12 September, and if going back to Phoenix meant he'd have to wait until 11 September to decide, my feeling is that he would do precisely that.

Any more than 2 years is an awful risk with him.