Get To Know The Utah Hockey Club: Who is Josh Doan?
Sep 5, 2024, 10:45 AM
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – With the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season right around the corner, it’s time for fans to begin familiarizing themselves with the roster to better understand who will be putting on the Utah sweater and what to expect from Josh Doan when the puck officially drops in Salt Lake City in October.
Moving onto one of the team’s most exciting young talents, Josh Doan is the next player profile to help fans get to know the Utah Hockey Club roster.
More photos of @JTDoaner19 in the new Utah threads ⚫️🔵⚪️🏒🥅👀 #UtahHockeyClub #NHLinUtah
Photo credit: @sammisilber pic.twitter.com/DRxy3rQxT4
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 4, 2024
Utah’s Josh Doan
Doan is a 22-year-old wing from Scottsdale, AZ. The son of Coyotes legend and franchise scoring leader Shane Doan, Josh has spent the majority of his hockey career in the Grand Canyon State, playing college hockey at Arizona State before making his way to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners and eventually the Arizona Coyotes.
Following an impressive short stint with the Coyotes at the tail-end of last season, Doan is on track to make Utah’s roster from the start in 2024.
Junior Career
Growing up in Arizona, Doan played in the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes program before being selected No. 95 Overall by the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League in the 2018 USHL Futures Draft. From there, Doan spent two seasons with the Steel and recorded 84 total points (36 goals, 48 assists) in 98 appearances.
Despite his stellar second season with the Steel, leading the team to a USHL’s Clark Cup championship, Doan was not selected in the 2020 NHL Draft but elected to play college hockey for ASU.
Once a Sun Devil, Doan was excellent for the program, scoring 28 goals and recording 47 assists over the course of two seasons. During the 2022-23 campaign, Doan also served as the team’s captain.
Professional Career
The Arizona native was drafted by the Coyotes in the second round with the 37th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
After being drafted by the same club his father played for and upon completing his final season at ASU, Doan signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes.
However, he would then spend the remaining 14 games of that season with Roadrunners and almost the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign in Tucson before being called up to the Coyotes for their last 11 games. While with the Roadrunners, Doan recorded 29 goals and 23 assists.
Doan’s Big Debut
Finally making his NHL debut last season, Doan was nothing short of impressive as he scored twice in his very first game in front of his father and the rest of the Arizona home crowd.
For the Coyotes, Doan would appear in 11 total games last year, scoring five goals and four assists during that stretch. With so much offensive production in such a short period of time, Doan has earned the right to make Utah’s roster this season and prove without a doubt that he belongs in the league.
As for his skillset, the 22-year-old forward is a gifted offensive player with a blazing shot and the ability to create havoc inside the offensive zone. With good size and a willingness to be aggressive, Doan attacks on the forecheck to create loose pucks and then moves to a position to try and score. Whether its one-timers, well placed shots from the slot or cleaning things up inside the crease, Doan is always dangerous.
If he does make the roster and earns his right to suit up for all 82 games, Doan could find himself in the Rookie of the Year conversation based off of what he displayed last season.
Related: Can Josh Doan Win NHL Rookie Of The Year?
Follow Utah Hockey Players On Social Media
Here is where fans can follow Doan on his X account.
Utah Hockey Schedule
Assuming he makes the roster, fans can watch Doan’s first game with the Utah Hockey Club on October 8 against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.