End of the Line for Iginla and Doan?

Two great NHL careers may be ending this offseason

Is this the end of two great NHL careers? (Image via Vancouver Sun)

The longer a veteran player goes unsigned during an offseason, the more the retirement talk ramps up. And unless your name is Jaromir Jagr, this offseason has been no different. For seasoned veterans Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan, the questions about their possible retirement have flown around in recent days. So what will happen to these great players? Have we seen the last of them?

For Iginla, the possibility of retirement seems real. He at least appears to be leaving his options open. Iginla is quoted as saying that he would like to play for a contender, but is still “uncertain” about his future. Furthermore, he’s left the door open to retirement by stating that “if I don’t [keep playing], I’ve had a great run and I’m very thankful for that.” Seems like a guy who’s resigned himself to the fact that he may never play again.

That seems strange coming from a guy who’s been such a warrior over his lengthy career, but at age 40, Iginla has accomplished nearly everything he could have wanted to — except a Stanley Cup. His closest shot came in 2004, when his Calgary Flames fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 7 games. A four time All-Star and two-time Richard Trophy winner, Iginla is the third leading active scorer in the league and has shown incredible consistency over the tenure of his career. Since joining the league in 1996–7, Iginla has only failed to reach the 20 goal mark twice in non-lockout shortened seasons and once had a stretch of 11 straight seasons with 30+. The concern, of course, is that one of those seasons at less than 20 was just this past season, and may have been the worst year of his career statistically. Whether or not Iginla chooses to come back, there can be no question that his will and determination were second to none and his talent was elite for many, many years. Short of lifting the cup, Iginla accomplished things many young hockey players only dream about.

Also at age 40, it seems Shane Doan has taken a different approach to his free agency. Doan has made it clear he does not intend to retire, saying he has already talked to some teams and feels as though he knows what his plan was from the start. The only thing standing in his way has been the very team he gave his entire career to. Doan stated clearly that it was an “ownership decision” to not bring him back and that he was “corporately fired” from the organization despite many productive years on mediocre teams.

Doan’s frustration certainly reflects the poor way in which he was treated. While it’s fair that the team needs to get younger and has made intentional moves to do so, Doan’s “firing” comes at the tail end of a 20+ year career with the franchise and 13 years as captain. He, too, has failed to hoist the Stanley Cup, coming only as close as the Western Conference Final in 2012. However, he has also been a model of consistency, until recent years when his numbers began to decline. This past season, Doan grabbed just 27 points — his lowest total this century. He has also been a battler and unafraid to mix it up, which combined with his relatively consistent offensive production made him an effective captain for a team and franchise that is constantly mired in one issue after another. Doan deserved better than the dismissal he got, and despite his decline, could also be effective on a one-year deal for a number of teams across the league.

The question is whether it is too late for these veteran players. In a league bent on getting younger and faster, 40-year-olds like Iginla, Doan, and even Jaromir Jagr still find themselves out of jobs midway through the summer. What is overlooked, however, is the fact that these players have shown consistency and stamina, with each of them rarely missing time in the lineup and able to score goals and make an impact, even on bad teams. Their hopes may be relegated to getting picked up on a PTO, which could still prove useful. The further we get into the summer, however, the more likely it seems that we must say goodbye to these players who were true greats of their generation.