Doan’s Delusions – $30M, 4Yrs?

According to Globe and Mail columnist David Shoals, and reported by TSN.ca, veteran Shane Doan is looking for a contract in the neighborhood of $30M over 4 years, averaging $7.5M per year.

If those reports are correct, then Shane Doan is delusional. That contract would place the Coyotes captain among the top 10 cap hits and top 20 actual salaries across the entire league.  Don’t get me wrong,  I like Doan as a player and still think he would be a nice addition to my team, but I don’t think there is a GM in the league foolish enough to bite that hook.  Doan is 35 years old,  so any multi-year contract he signs will be in force throughout the life of the deal (barring a change in the new CBA).

Even the team’s that have to spend money to get to the floor wouldn’t swallow that pill to get there.  Most notably, Phoenix, New York Islanders and Winnipeg are well below the floor at the moment.  The Jets will be above the floor once they sign Evander Kane to his extension.

That leaves a return to the Coyotes and their unstable ownership situation that Doan may be looking to avoid, or the Islanders as the only clubs that might overpay for Doan. If it is money he wants, he needs to stay put in the desert.   If he wants a chance to win a Cup ( and judging by visits to Philly and the Rangers, he has to be thinking that way) he will have to temper his salary expectations.  The Flyers don’t have that kind of space and while the Rangers do, they don’t need him that badly.

Doan could be a great second line player who gives leadership and heart in addition to 50 points, but that doesn’t give you a contract of that length or cap hit on any NHL team.

I would still want him on my team, maybe with a 2 year deal for $7-$8M TOTAL.  No GM in their right mind would give him anywhere close to what he is asking for, right?  Well, Scott Howson does still have a job, so maybe that is speaking too soon.