Josh Doan getting back into the groove with Tucson Roadrunners

Tucson Roadrunners head coach Steve Potvin is happy and not happy to have Arizona native Josh Doan return to the Roadrunners.

Last week, Doan came back to the Roadrunners after starting the season with Utah Hockey Club.

“I think it’s obviously nice to get back with these guys, there are a lot of friends on this team — guys that have grown closely over the year and guys that I feel like when I’m with I’m getting better every day,” Doan said. “So it’s always good to come down here and feel comfortable and confident and that’s the main goal right now, to get back to where I was. I think my game is back to a spot where it has been in the past, where I feel comfortable on the ice.

“I feel like I move my feet, I’m getting shots off and that’s basically the main focal point right now is to get back into that groove and feel good again playing big minutes and just have fun playing the game again.”

Last year for the Coyotes, Doan had nine points in 11 games, including five goals. This season, he played in nine games for Utah Hockey Club, notching two points.

Last season for Tucson, he had 46 points in 64 games. Before moving to the NHL, the AHL All-Star and All-Rookie team selection was five goals away from the Roadrunners record of 31.

“You would think sometimes when a player’s had that much success in his first go around in the NHL, a lot of times or often the player believes he can and should stay in the NHL and honestly, I think Josh always just plays where his feet are, and he enjoys the game so much,” Potvin said. “He just can’t wait to lace ’em up, so it’s a real positive for him to have that type of attitude and by no means is he not competitive or hungry or want to be back up there, there’s no doubt that he wants to.

“But I think he’s just a player that understands ‘I’m gonna do what I can in the moment where my feet are and I’m gonna be the best version myself, no matter what,’” he added.

The Roadrunners (4-4) return to action for a two-game series against the San Diego Gulls (3-7) on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

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Doan scored two goals in his second game back with the Roadrunners last week at the Abbotsford Canucks.

“I think it’s just one of those feelings where to keep that conference, obviously they trust me here, the players and coaching staff,” Doan said, “so to get your first couple goals on the board and repay them for all the trust through the years is always something that that feels good, and I think just just finding their way and paving your way into the season is always nicer to get on the board and then takes a little bit of the weight off the shoulders.”

The Coyotes, where his father Shane starred, drafted Doan in the second round in 2021. The Scottsdale native became the Arizona-born, raised and trained Coyote after playing for ASU.

Doan joined the Roadrunners after the 2022-23 college season ended, getting seven points in 11 games.

“He’s a guy that comes in and works every day and that actually cares about the details and you would hope that it’s not as rare, but it is sometimes rare for a player that has a recognizable last name that comes in with such joy and excitement for the game, respects everybody in the room and really shows a lot of enthusiasm,” Potvin said. “So we’re happy and not happy to have them here.”

Doan just missed getting his first professional hat trick last week, missing an empty by hitting the post. Last year he had four two-goal games.

“Half an inch away, I’d say, off the poles and with an empty net, that’s always something you’re gonna look back at, but that means you’re in the right place,” Doan said. “There’s probably a couple times where I should have scored and a couple times I shouldn’t have scored and that’s just how hockey goes, so you gotta take it with a grain of salt that you got that close, but at the end of the day it’s focus on the next game and maybe it’ll come Saturday or Sunday.”

Slapshots

• Saturday is Military Appreciation Night. The Roadrunners will give away Roadrunners military T-shirts and then auction their jerseys post game.
• The Roadrunners are also auctioning off a military-themed goalie mask signed by Tucson goalies, military pucks signed by Roadrunners and nameplates signed by players on DASH. The auction, which benefits the Roadrunners’ charities, runs through the weekend.
• Since the inception in 2016-17, the Roadrunners and San Diego have contested the I-8 Border Rivalry Trophy, which Tucson has won every year except 2021-22. The Roadrunners went 7-1-0-0 against S.D. last year.
• The Gulls are the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.