Doan won’t return to Arizona Coyotes

Shane Doan was showered with tributes and applause following the final game of the 201617 season, the big send-off coming just in case the Arizona Coyotes captain decided to retire.

Doan still hasn’t decided if he will retire, but he won’t play for the Coyotes if he does come back.

The Coyotes issued a statement Monday saying the team will not offer Doan a contract, ending a 21-year relationship that began before the franchise moved to the Valley of the Sun.

“The time has come for us to move on and to focus on our young, talented group of players and our very bright future,” Coyotes owner Andrew Barroway said in the statement. “This was a very difficult decision given what Shane has done for the Coyotes and his unparalleled importance to the organization. With that said, this is necessary to move us forward as a franchise.”

The Coyotes have been in rebuilding mode since a run to the 2012 Western Conference finals, a span of five playoff-less seasons that led the franchise to skew toward younger players.

The Coyotes traded 33-year-old Mike Smith, their No. 1 goalie the past five seasons, to Calgary on Saturday and left Doan unprotected in the NHL expansion draft on Sunday. They parted ways — at least on the ice — with their 40-year-old captain a day later, leaving Doan to decide whether to retire or join another team.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to sincerely thank Shane for everything he’s done for the Coyotes on and off the ice the past 21 years,” Barroway said. “Shane is a Valley icon who had an incredible career and was one of the best captains to ever play in the NHL.”