PHOENIX - Longtime Coyotes captain Shane Doan has announced his retirement in a letter to fans in Phoenix.
Calling it one of the hardest decisions he's ever made, Doan says he knew back in April he had probably played his final NHL game.
The Coyotes had informed the 40-year-old Doan during a brief meeting in June that they would not be offering him a new contract.
At the time, Doan reportedly said he felt as if he'd been "corporately fired."
Team owner Andrew Barroway was forced to apologize for how the situation was handled amid fan outrage.
The franchise leader in games played, goals, assists and points, Doan spent 21 years in Arizona.
