Maple Leafs hire Shane Doan as advisor to GM Brad Treliving

Former Arizona Coyotes chief development officer Shane Doan is joining the Toronto Maple Leafs as special advisor to general manager Brad Treliving, the team confirmed on Friday.

Doan played 1,540 games with the Coyotes organization, notching 402 goals and 972 points before announcing his retirement in 2017. Arizona hired Doan as its chief development officer in January 2021.

Upon retiring from his playing career, Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews offered him a hearty congratulations, noting that Doan was his favorite player growing up.

Treliving and Doan built a strong relationship when the former operated as the Coyotes' assistant general manager from 2003-14. Doan was credited with supporting the Coyotes’ business and hockey operations in his role as chief development officer and will now "assist on all day-to-day matters of hockey operations as assigned by Treliving."

"I am honoured to join the Maple Leafs in this role," Doan said in a press release. "The Maple Leafs have a such deep history and a passionate fan base, and I'm excited to contribute in any way I can in the organization's pursuit of their ultimate goal. I'm also thrilled to once again work alongside Brad Treliving and continue a working relationship that began during Brad's time with the Coyotes."

Doan also served as Team Canada's GM at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where Canada finished in sixth place. He had prior front office experience with Hockey Canada, serving as a consultant for the 2019 world championships, an assistant GM at the tournament in 2021, and GM at the 2021 Channel One Cup and Spengler Cup.

Some may view Doan’s hiring as a simple hockey decision, but Treliving told reporters that his top priority is signing Matthews to a long-term extension and this likely works towards building a strong relationship with the former Hart Trophy winner. Matthews is eligible for a contract extension on July 1 with one year remaining on his existing deal.

"I'm very excited to welcome Shane to the Maple Leafs," Treliving said. "Through his more than 1,500 NHL games played, his management roles, being an NHL team captain for more than a decade and being just a wonderful human being, Shane has touched all the aspects of the game which make him a terrific fit with the Maple Leafs organization, its staff and players."

Jason Spezza previously operated as special assistant to Kyle Dubas, but when the Maple Leafs elected not to renew Dubas’s contract, Spezza resigned. Dubas was subsequently hired as president of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It’s a busy offseason for Treliving and the Maple Leafs with Matthews and William Nylander’s possible extensions on the table, while the new regime has yet to make a decision about head coach Sheldon Keefe.