Latest NHL Buzz: Good news for Penguins is that Doan won’t be signing with Rangers or Flyers

After making Shane Doan’s shortlist in August of the top-4 teams he was considering outside of Phoenix, the bad news for the Penguins is that Doan eliminated Pittsburgh from the mix a few weeks ago. The good news for the Penguins is that Doan has also eliminated two other Atlantic division rivals on his shortlist, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.

The big team here is the New York Rangers who emerged as a clear favorite with the Vancouver Canucks for Doan from the get go, but were eliminated from the mix early this week. The Rangers already regarded by many as the best team in the Eastern Conference for when the hockey season begins, are a team where Doan could have easily been seen as a missing piece and would have joined an already excellent group of top-9 forwards.

When Doan officially signs this afternoon, it won’t be a surprise where he ends up.

Doan’s final two options have come down to the Phoenix Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks. Doan has a four year deal worth just over $21 million with the Coyotes worked out and he has been gathering every little info he can about whether Greg Jamison remains on the right track to secure the sale of the Coyotes.

Vancouver was one of three teams Doan visited this summer (also visited New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers) and his wife is from the area, so it’s no surprise to see them emerge as one of the two finalists.

The Rangers downfall, according to a source, is that they wouldn’t go four years. Since early August, the Rangers and Canucks had long been regarded as the two favorites to sign Doan if he were to leave Phoenix.