At age 40, Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan continues to serve honorably as one of hockeys great ambassadors. While leading a rebuilding club last season, Doan enjoyed one of the better seasons of his 20-year pro career and paced the Coyotes with 28 goals. This season, Doan has been tasked with mentoring one of the leagues youngest teams, which includes teammate Jakob Chychrun, an 18-year-old defenseman who was born almost three years after Doan was drafted, in 1995.The arrival of all this young talent -- including Arizona native Auston Matthews, with whom Doan skated as part of the Coyotes youth program -- makes Doan excited about the future of the game. Even if it does make him also feel kind of old.ESPN.com: How complicated is it being a veteran on such a young team?Shane Doan:?At one point we had nine guys 21 and under. Thats pretty incredible. I dont think its like that anywhere else in professional hockey, including the AHL or the East Coast League. Obviously, its exciting for the future, but its a little more difficult for the present.ESPN.com: You have four teenage children. Does that help you deal with the kids on your team?Doan: My oldest daughter is the same age as some of them. There are obviously similarities. But these guys are so mature. As a hockey player, you leave home when youre 15, 16 years old. It forces you to grow up. Our guys are great. Theyve handled themselves incredibly well. Its fun to be around them.ESPN.com: Are younger players better prepared for the NHL today?Doan: I think, because of social media, you get to see the day-to-day life of an NHL player a lot more. If you follow someone on Twitter or Instagram or whatever, you see what goes on a little bit more because of that. That makes it a little bit easier. You understand things you may not have understood in the past because there just wasnt exposure to it.ESPN.com: Do you wish you had social media when you were younger?Doan: No. Im so glad, so thankful that I didnt. Its crazy how much it affects our day-to-day lives as players and how much it affects the young guys.ESPN.com: What are the main differences today for young players compared with 20 years ago?Doan: Their skill level. It all comes down to exposure. When someone in the Swedish Elite league makes an incredible move, then the kids everywhere get to watch it and practice it -- and it becomes part of the hockey community. I think it pushes the skill level so much quicker because everybody can see things and their imaginations are kind of expanded by being able to see what other guys are doing around the world. In the past, if you saw it on the late-night sports TV shows, it was pretty amazing, but you only saw it once. Now everyone watches it over and over and can break it down. I think that helps. The skill of the young guys is just incredible now.ESPN.com: Youre skating alongside players whose fathers you played with and against. Have you talked to any of them about playing with their dads?Doan: Ive played with quite a few of them.?Max Domi?and Connor Murphy. Weve had?Philip Samuelsson?and Brett Hextall on the team. Getting to play against Matthew Tkachuk after playing with his dad, or Josh Manson in Anaheim. They were in our dressing room as kids when I was a player.ESPN.com: Have you reminded them about how you saw them as kids in the dressing room?Doan: For sure. Without a doubt. Thats one of the things that, as a player, you remember. Matty and Josh were so young, they dont really remember. But my daughter is the same age as Matty. They were both born here [in Arizona]. Ive gotten to know Josh as he got older. Its exciting. Its fun. You feel old, but you enjoy it, for sure.ESPN.com: Do you ever chat with Matthew Tkachuk about how you bought and moved into his childhood home in Arizona?Doan: Oh, yeah. We have horses here and Matty would come out and go riding at the farm. It was fun.ESPN.com: You skated with Auston Matthews while he was in the Coyotes youth program. What do you remember about him as an emerging young player?Doan: I got to know his family a little bit. His mom and dad go to the same church that we go to. Hes an unbelievable kid. Hes an even better person than player, and thats exciting because hes an incredible player.ESPN.com: Was his talent evident right away?Doan: The first time he skated with us, it was just shinny. I think his team won or lost 5-4. He had all his teams goals and it was against NHL guys, and he was a year away from being drafted. I was pretty impressed.ESPN.com: How important is it for youth hockey players in Arizona to see someone like Auston make it?Doan: Its huge for us. It gives validation to an organization like the Junior Coyotes. Any time anyone asks how the program is, you can say Auston Matthews grew up in the program. Thats huge for minor hockey and grass roots.ESPN.com: Your general manager, John Chayka, is more than a decade your junior. How often does he come to you with questions?Doan: Hes not afraid to come and ask for your opinion. But at the end of the day hes the one who makes the decisions. Thats the way it goes. As much as I think every player wants his opinions heard, its not our [call]. Hes very professional in that he asks questions and wants to gain perspective from people who might have experienced a few things. At the same time, he recognizes its his call and he makes those decisions when he needs to.ESPN.com: Youre coming off one of your best statistical seasons, but have you given any thought to retirement?Doan: It crosses your mind daily. But you dont make those decisions on a daily basis. Ten days ago, if you had asked me I probably would have retired on the spot. Today if you asked me, I think Id sign a five-year deal. It kind of goes back and forth. You understand you cant make rash decisions like that. It has to be something you make over the course of the year. I kind of approached last year the same way I approach this year. Ill just see how I feel at the end. Custom Joe Crede Jersey . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Custom Nellie Fox Jersey . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. http://www.customwhitesoxjersey.com/custom-robin-ventura-jersey-large-361p.html .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. Custom Bill Melton Jersey . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. Harold Baines Jersey Large . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night.Antoine Griezmann is almost 100 per cent sure coach Diego Simeone will stay at Atletico Madrid this summer. Atletico suffered their second defeat in three years to arch rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League final in May and Simeone admitted after the game that he was considering his future at the club. France striker Griezmann was one of Simeones stand-out players last season and, speaking to beIN Sports France, he revealed he would be raging if Atletico were to lose the Argentine this summer. I spoke to him and Im pretty sure hes staying, Griezmann said.Id be raging if he left. I still have a lot to learn from him. I spoke to Simeone, Im nearly 100 per cent sure he wont leave. Simeone cast doubt over his future after further Champions League final heartbreak Atleticos loss in the Champions League final meant they failed to win any silverware for the second season running as Barcelona claimed La Liga title in the final weeks of the season and the Copa del Rey. Simeones uncertainty has sparked rumours the hugely successful coach would like to move on to another challenge, but Atletico president Enrique Cerezo has assured the clubs supporters he is going nowhere. Guillem Balague believes Diego Simeone will stay at Madrid The fans can sleep peacefully because we have four more years of contract with him, Cerezo said.dddddddddddd Whenever you lose a title you are upset. But Atletico have always shown that we win and we lose together.Our sporting directors are looking for a striker but besides that, the group is going to be more or less the same as last season as its a great team that finished third in La Liga and reached the Champions League final. Also See: Torres: Simeone right to reflect Watch: La Ligas rising stars? Euro 2016 players top 100 (80-61) Transfer Centre Live ' ' '
