Shane Doan will remain with Coyotes

Shane Doan will remain with the Phoenix Coyotes, the only franchise he has ever played for in the NHL. (Getty Images)

The Shane Doan free-agency saga has finally come to an end.

The veteran forward has made his decision and decided to remain with the Phoenix Coyotes, signing a four-year contract to continue playing for the only organization he has known.

According to John Gambadoro of 620 KTAR in Phoenix, the deal is worth $21.2 million and includes a $2-million bonus.

“We are thrilled to sign Shane to a long-term contract,” general manager Don Maloney said in a statement. “Shane is our captain and the heart and soul of our franchise. He is the consummate professional and one of the best leaders in the NHL. His loyalty, commitment, integrity and passion for the game epitomize everything you'd want in a player. It was a priority for us to sign him to a long-term deal so that he can play for the Coyotes for the remainder of his career.”

In what was at times a rather maddening series of events, Doan received interest from a number of other teams. Reportedly there was at least one huge offer from an Eastern Conference team -- an offer that would have paid him $7 million per year for four seasons. The deal he ended up with to remain in Phoenix will pay him a little more than $5 million a year.

That Phoenix contract makes more sense than the rumored $7 million-per-year offer, but it's still a big deal, at least in terms of its length for a 36-year-old forward. In 79 games last season he scored 22 goals to go with 28 assists.

Doan has been with the organization since he was taken in the first round of the 1995 draft (when the team was still based in Winnipeg) and has played in 1,198 games with the team. He's been the Coyotes' captain the past eight seasons.

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