Free-agent forward Shane Doan, the longtime captain of the Phoenix Coyotes, told XTRA 910 in Phoenix on Thursday that he will re-sign with the team as soon as the franchise’s sale to Greg Jamison is approved. (Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic has a full transcript of Doan’s interview.)

“My goal has been to stay here the whole time,” Doan said. “Don and Tip (general manager Don Maloney and coach Dave Tippett) and the organization have been great. We have a deal worked out that we just want to make sure that the team gets signed and that everything gets done.”

Josh Rimer of NHL Home Ice on Sirius XM Radio first tweeted on Wednesday that Doan had decided to remain in Phoenix:

I'm hearing Shane Doan will be staying with the Phoenix Coyotes—
Josh Rimer (@JoshRimerHockey) September 05, 2012

Free agent Shane Doan reportedly met with the New York Rangers on Friday. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

NHL free agent Shane Doan was in New York on Friday to meet with the New York Rangers, Arizona Sports’ Josh Gambadoro reported.

The Rangers don’t have a reported contract offer on the table for the Phoenix Coyotes captain Doan, who has drawn interest from as many as 16 teams — more than half the NHL. Six teams — the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins — have reportedly made contract offers. One of those offers is believed to be for four years and $30 million.

But the visit to New York was Doan’s first official visit as a free agent. He has professed a desire to remain in Phoenix, as long as the franchise is committed to staying there. He has spent his entire career with the organization, after the then-Winnipeg Jets drafted him in 1995.

Doan is also in New York for the collective bargaining negotiations between the owners and players. He told the New York Daily News that he wants to make a decision on where he’ll play next season “as soon as I can.”

Doan has put up more than 50 points in 11 of his past 12 seasons. He had 22 goals and 28 assists last season with the Coyotes.

Shane Doan’s agent, Terry Bross, on Wednesday told Kevin Allen of USA Today that 16 teams — more than half of the NHL — have made inquiries about Doan’s intentions and “four or five” have already submitted formal offers.

John Gambadoro of Sports 620 KTAR in Phoenix tweets three of the teams that have made offers:

The third team to offer Coyotes Captain Shane Doan a contract following LA and San Jose is the Vancouver Canucks!—
John Gambadoro (@Gambo620) July 11, 2012

The Coyotes obviously are also in the mix to retain Doan, 35, the team’s longtime captain, who has said that his preference is to remain with the only franchise he has ever played for, as long as it stays in Phoenix. Doan reportedly has given the Coyotes until Monday to come up with a satisfactory offer before he starts seriously considering other teams.

Doan and the Coyotes both want to continue their relationship, but the captain could be priced out of Phoenix. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

He’s been associated with the Phoenix Coyotes (ne Winnipeg Jets) franchise for so long that no one could see this coming. But general manager Don Mahoney confirmed on the NHL Live radio program on Tuesday that team captain Shane Doan will test the free agent market starting on Sunday.

Maloney added that he is optimistic that a deal will get done to retain Doan, according to Sarah McLennan of the Arizona Republic.

Doan had previously said that he wants to remain a Coyote but will listen to what other teams have to say.

Doan, 35, has spent every one of his 17 seasons with Winnipeg/Phoenix and is the only remaining Coyote to have been a Jet. He is coming off a five-year, $22.75 million contract, and his 50 points (22 goals) was his lowest output in 10 seasons.

Doan is considered one of hockey’s best leaders (he is a two-time captain of Team Canada at the world championships), and another franchise might be willing to overlook his sliding production to add the intangibles he brings to the locker room. He has 318 goals and 788 points in 1,198 career games.

Mike Smith had a few bones to pick with the refs after the Coyotes Game 5 loss to the Kings. (Christian Petersen/Getty)

It sounds like the Coyotes won’t go silent into the night.

Following their game five loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, Phoenix’s goaltender Mike Smith said to a group of reporters it’s “disappointing that we not only got beat by [the Kings] but that we got beat by the officials too.”

Smith went on to say that the refs did “everything they could not to get us to this position,” furthering speculation that the league office prefers big market teams in the Stanley Cup. The entire audio clip with Smith’s comments can be heard at NHL.com.

Meanwhile, Coyotes forward and team captain Shane Doan said in animated fashion from the locker room following the game that he knows the refs “do their best. I know they always try to do their best and that they’re going to make mistakes. It’s just tough when you’re on the short end of it so many times.”