Shane Doan empathizes with Arizona Coyotes fans.
As the team's longest-serving player and all-time leading scorer, the captain has devoted his career to making hockey work in Arizona. In light of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's letter that urged state legislators to release public funds for a new arena in the Phoenix area - citing unsustainability with the Coyotes' current home - the captain expressed what many must be thinking in and around the team.
"I truly don’t even know what to say in the fact that we make it hard to be a Coyotes fan at times, and we sure appreciate the fans that stick with us because it’s difficult and it’s because of a whole bunch of things," Doan said, per Sarah McLellan of azcentral. "It’s not because of what we necessarily do or what has been done by us. It’s what has to happen and things that happen. As a fan of the team, it makes it tough."
Doan added: "You care and you take on the responsibility of the team, and then you continue to at times be an apologist for them. That’s frustrating."
In his letter, Bettman wrote, "The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale."
While the team has renewed its lease with Gila River Arena, the future is murky beyond that.
Doan's contract is up at season's end, meaning he may be affected more as an observer than a player by the next step in this process.
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