Former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan announced his retirement from the NHL Wednesday.
Selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the seventh pick of the 1995 NHL Draft, the now 40-year-old Doan had spent his entire 21-season NHL career with the Jets/Coyotes franchise, which moved to Arizona from Winnipeg in 1996.
Doan made the announcement in a letter to fans published in the Arizona Republic.
"I could not fathom at the time that I would end up playing in Arizona for the next 21 years, raise a family and call this place home," Doan wrote. "But that's exactly what happened. And that's why this has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I'm retiring from the NHL."
Doan had six goals and 27 points in 74 games last season, which also was his 13th as Coyotes captain, and spent this past summer as unrestricted free agent.
In 1,540 NHL games, he had 972 points (402 goals, 570 assists), and is the Jets/Coyotes all-time leader in all four categories.
Doan is also one of nine players in NHL history to have played at least 21 seasons with the same franchise, and three played more games with one organization than Doan did (Gordie Howe, 1,687, Detroit Red Wings; Nicklas Lidstrom, 1,584, Red Wings; Alex Delvecchio, 1,549, Red Wings). He's tied for 14th for most games played in NHL history.
"I have peace, and I'm so thankful for that," Doan wrote. "I've been blessed and I'm so grateful for the fans and their support. They stuck by me throughout my career and the ups and downs of the Coyotes. There are a lot of players with more skill than me and a lot more ability than me that didn't ever get the type of appreciation that I got and the type of respect that the fans gave me, and I'm so grateful for that. I can't express how much I appreciate it. Thank you for watching me grow up, and I enjoyed watching a lot of you grow up, too.
"I also want say thanks to the Coyotes, who provided me the opportunity to stay in the Valley for 21 years. That's one of the most meaningful accomplishments of my career, and I'll forever cherish the friendships I've made along the way."