While the Wild celebrated the addition of forwards Martin Hanzal and Ryan White, their former Arizona teammates were struggling to understand why management would ship away one of its veteran players.
Arizona captain Shane Doan used an in-game interview Sunday to express his disappointment with the trade that sent Hanzal and White to Minnesota for three future draft picks and a minor leaguer.
Fox Sports broadcaster Todd Walsh prompted Doan’s response by referencing Hanzal’s emotional goodbye before Sunday’s game in Arizona.
Doan responded, “It’s really hard. Obviously [Hanzal] was a huge part of our team and someone you get to play with for 10 years, you appreciate and you understand how valuable and how you can’t really replace him.
“The fact that we just continue to seem to go … I don’t know. It’s hard to understand, exactly. I mean, you understand people’s hands are tied.
“You just don’t get it.”
Doan, the team’s 40-year-old forward that has spent his entire career in Arizona, has in the past criticized some of the Coyotes trades. In 2015, he voiced his disappointment when defenseman Keith Yandle was traded.
“It was not my idea, not my ideal situation,” he told reporters then. “There’s no one that’s 38 years old that thinks it’s a good idea, ‘Let’s rebuild.’ ”
The Coyotes are at the bottom of the NHL Western Conference standings in second-to-last, while the Wild are in first place. The addition of Hanzal and White help the Wild add depth as they prepare for a deep run in the postseason.
Hanzal, a former 2005 first-round draft pick, spent 10 seasons with the Coyotes.
Watch Doan’s full interview and if you want to learn more about the captain, read about his recent experience teaching Minnesota native Larry Fitzgerald how to skate:
Shane Doan: “It’s hard to understand” Coyotes trade of Martin Hanzal and Ryan White to the Wild. pic.twitter.com/CeKoFrRItm
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