There are always historic nights for franchises in the NHL for various reasons. Most recently, Utah general manager Bill Armstong drafted Tij Iginla, the son of Calgary Flames legend Jarome Iginla. It was a full-circle moment not only for the Iginla family but for the entire hockey world. Especially because Tij was the first player to be drafted by the Utah Hockey Club, making history at this year’s draft.
Related: Josh Doan’s Call-Up to the Coyotes a Long Time Coming
While Tij will create his own path in the NHL, that’s not the focus of today’s articles; in fact, it’s Jarome’s best friend, Shane Doan’s son, who made a big entrance into the NHL last season. That is none other than Arizona State native Josh Doan, who has carved his path with the Arizona Coyotes and now Utah.
Doan came in last season and surprised everyone with his play at the NHL level. However, he now enters his first full season in the NHL, and his ceiling is still undetermined. In today’s piece, we dive into what his ceiling could be and what to expect from the 22-year-old.
Josh Impressed During the NHL Action He Saw in 2023-24
After Josh finished his sophomore season at Arizona State University, he made the jump to the American Hockey League (AHL), where he joined the Tucson Roadrunners. In 14 games, he notched six points, and of course, there was still lots of growth to be made, and that’s what Josh did in the 2023-24 season.
Josh excelled with the Roadrunners this past season, recording 26 goals and 46 points in 62 games. Behind teammate Dylan Guenther, who was nearly a point per game in the AHL, Josh was the offensive heartbeat for the Roadrunners, especially in terms of goalscoring, where he saw lots of success. Eventually, this earned him a call-up of a lifetime, and he would make his debut in front of the fans at Mullett Arena, the rink where he played college hockey.
In his first game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Josh scored two goals, and with his father, Shane, in attendance, it was an extremely wholesome moment. That said, Josh was genuinely impressive in the 11 games he played, having nine points in his brief showing. It wasn’t just the name that was getting it done; it was his work ethic and skill.
His forechecking stood out among his ability to play both ends of the ice, and that’s why he was taken where he was in the 2021 NHL Draft. Needless to say, he was extremely impressive in his time in the NHL, but what’s his ceiling in 2024-25?
What Is Josh’s Ceiling This Upcoming Season?
Obviously, Josh saw plenty of success last season and was a gem for the Coyotes in the midst of relocation rumors, which became true as we know it today. Armstrong made several moves to improve the roster at the NHL level this offseason, and those are going to propel them to new heights. Among those are Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, Ian Cole, Kevin Stenlund, and more, so Josh has an even better supporting cast this time around.
He flourished last season with Guenther and Logan Cooley, and Lawson Crouse and Nick Bjugstad. Now, that begs the question: what could the 2024-25 season look like for Josh, and what’s his ceiling? Of course, he is going to take a step forward, as the team will also be taking a step in the right direction.
Josh should be in the ballpark of notching 40-50 points during his first full season in the NHL, as that seems about right given the ice time he’ll likely be receiving. At the end of the day, he is going to grow this season regardless, and it’ll be a blast seeing him with all the other youngsters.
Expectations Heighten for Doan in 2024-25
As mentioned, Doan played exceptionally well for the Coyotes when he was up in the big leagues, and it was clear that the time down with the Roadrunners helped him learn as much as possible. It’s also a big shoutout to the players and the coaching staff that brought Josh in with open arms, as sometimes having a name as big as Doan can scare people away. Needless to say, expectations are much higher this season than they were last season, as there is no question he’ll be up in the NHL. While he’ll always hear his father’s name, he’s carving his own path to success.
