Shane Doan appears set on playing at least one more season in the desert.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to. We've talked about it as a family and we're going to do it. It was one of those things (that) I wasn't sure about, but it's going to work," the Arizona Coyotes captain said Friday on NHL Network after having lunch with new general manager John Chayka on Thursday.
The 39-year-old acknowledged that the Coyotes would still have to sign him to a contract to facilitate his plans.
"They have to agree to want me back, to a certain degree."
Doan also shed some light on his meeting with Chayka, the 26-year-old analytics guru who was promoted from his previous role as a Coyotes assistant general manager this week.
"It was interesting just to sit and talk to him, and to get his perspective from a totally different (point) of view," he said. "As a player, you view the game one way, and as someone who views it with the numbers and the other side of it, it's totally different.
"He had a lot of great ideas, and a lot of interesting things, and we're excited."
Doan said he's grateful to have spent his entire career with the same franchise.
"I don't think anyone ever plans on it, but I've been given the opportunity, and it means a lot to me. To have the opportunity to be involved for 20 years, but to be with the same organization and stay there, it's been a lot of fun and I've enjoyed it," Doan said.
The veteran winger said in March that he was "probably" leaning toward playing for the Coyotes again in 2016-17.
He'll become an unrestricted free agent if the Coyotes don't sign him to a new deal before July 1.
