Tucson Roadrunners forward Josh Doan is an AHL All-Star again in his second season of availability.
On Wednesday, the AHL announced that Doan was selected to the Pacific Division team. Doan, 22, has 19 points in 24 games.
Roadrunners forward Josh Doan celebrates after scoring his eighth goal of the season in Tucson’s 4-1 victory over Coachella Valley at Acrisure Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2024.
“It’s an honor and I’m really excited to get an opportunity to go do that and have that experience again,” Doan said in a news release. “You’re given an opportunity by the coaching staff here and you get a chance to play with really good players. It gives you a chance to put yourself in that mix. It’s a real honor, but it’s a team thing more than an individual thing when it comes down to it, so it’s an honor to represent Tucson at the All-Star game.”
Last season, Doan was also an All-Star and was named to the All-Rookie team. He received his first NHL call-up on March 25, scoring two goals in his Arizona Coyotes debut.
After returning to Tucson for the Roadrunners’ playoff run, he started this season with the Utah Hockey Club, getting two points in nine games before rejoining Tucson on Oct. 29.
“We’ve been honestly real proud of his efforts of recent weeks and he got a nomination for the All-Star Game and it’s well-deserved,” said Tucson head coach Steve Potvin on Tuesday.
The Coyotes selected Doan in the second round (37th overall) in the 2021 draft. The Scottsdale native joined the Roadrunners in 2023, debuting on March 17 after the college season ended having played two seasons for ASU.
Doan is the 14th Roadrunner to be selected as an AHL All-Star. He’s the first multiple-time All-Star since Kyle Capobianco made his third appearance in 2020.
The AHL All-Star Classic is Feb. 2-3 at Acrisure Arena, home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
The Roadrunners (18-12-1-0) play a two-game series at the San Diego Gulls (10-18-3-2) starting Friday night.
Ingram debuts for Tucson
Connor Ingram, seen here in October with the Utah Hockey Club, made his Tucson Roadrunner debut Jan. 8, 2024.
Goalie Connor Ingram lead the Roadrunners to a 4-1 win on Wednesday at Coachella Valley.
The Utah Hockey Club goaltender joined the Roadrunners on Dec. 31 on a conditioning load. He had been out since Nov. 20 with an upper-body injury.
He stopped 29 of 30 shots against Coachella Valley and won the second star award. Doan got the first star after getting a goal and an assist.
“He’s been here for a good period now, he’s gotten some good practice time in and during the practice and away from the from the ice,” Potvin said. “He’s playing where his feet are, he’s engaged with the team, he’s entrenched in the meetings and he’s involved. It’s great to see the type of character that he has; came right down and went right to work, just like he was part of the team for a long time.”
Potvin didn’t know how long Ingram will be in the AHL.
Southern California rivals
This week features three games against Southern California rivals.
Tucson is 2-1 against the Firebirds this season.
“They’re one of the top teams in our division every year, so it’s a good test for us to kind of see where we stand in the division,” said right wing Austin Poganski. “These points are super important, we got Coachella for one here and then San Diego for two and in Calgary — who’s at the top — the last two.
So yeah, it’s a big trip for us to kind of see where we stand and to grab some points back on these teams.”
Poganski played for Coachella Valley when they finished second in the AHL in 2023.
Next, the Roadrunners drive to San Diego.
Tucson is 4-1 against the Gulls this season and has gone 23-12-2-0 against their I-8 Border Cup rivals in the last five years. Tucson has won the trophy every season except 2021-22.
Mer-miss
Last Thursday, Utah waived defenseman Dakota Mermis with the intention of sending him to Tucson, but Toronto reclaimed him.
Mermis signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in July but broke his jaw in training camp. Toronto waived him in December, and Utah claimed him.
Mermis played three seasons for the Roadrunners, serving as captain in 2018-19.
“It would have been great for sure, obviously he was somebody we leaned on, he was a character, captain here for us, he was great, but (laughs) that’s the way it goes, you’re here one day, gone the next,” Potvin said.
“But I think players appreciate being able to have the waiver rights so that they don’t get stuck with necessarily one team all the time and they have the privilege of playing in the NHL, so it’s just the way the game goes.”
Bragging rights
United States players celebrate after their overtime win over Finland in the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal game in Ottawa, Ontario, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
The Roadrunners were busy with games lately but kept an eye on the IIHF World Junior Championship as the United States repeated as champions.
American Roadrunners like Poganski had friendly wagers in the tournament. The USA beat Finland 4-3 in overtime to the chagrin of Finnish Roadrunners forward Miko Matikka and right wing Aku Räty.
Finland beat the U.S. earlier in the tournament 4-3 in overtime.
“A little bit with Matikka and Ratty against the U.S. there in the in the championship there was a couple bets that were placed,” Poganski said, “just fun — wearing ugly beanies that Matikka always wears, Matikka might have a little bit better style here on the road without wearing his ugly pink beanie, but no, it was fun to watch.
“It’s always nice when the U.S. competes and does well on the stage like that, it’s always fun, and whenever Canada loses early it’s always fun to watch.”
The tournament’s host, Canada, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Czechia.
The last time Canada won the gold medal was in 2023, when former Roadrunner Dylan Guenther scored the tournament-winning goal.
