It was through tears yesterday that Islanders captain Doug Weight said goodbye to a 19-year NHL playing career.
But the 40-year-old retired with a clear goal for the next phase of his life — staying on as an assistant coach to Jack Capuano and a senior assistant to GM Garth Snow.
“As ready as you are for the next chapter of your life, it’s tough,” Weight said. “You’re forced to say goodbye, even if it’s the right decision.”
Weight retired mostly because an injury to his back kept him off the ice for the majority of the past two seasons. He played just 54 games during that time, 18 last season.
He was captain of the Islanders since being recruited by Snow in 2008.
“Doug is the ultimate leader,” Snow said. “He has taken our young core of players, over the past three years, and helped elevate their game to a point where we now see our franchise competing with the top teams in the league.”
Weight’s new job is still a bit unclear. But as a coach he is planning on focusing on the team’s power play, and as Snow’s assistant, he will focus on personnel.
“If we play Monday, [then] Friday, I won’t necessarily be on the ice every day,” Weight said. “But I’m going to make sure our guys are prepared for every game.”
Weight will use this season in order to find out what path he wants to pursue in the future. But he did say he’s leaning towards management.
“We are excited to have him join our hockey operations department in seeing through with our goal of winning the Stanley Cup,” Snow said.
Weight won one Stanley Cup as a player, with the Hurricanes in 2005-06.
He finished with 278 goals and 755 assists in 19 seasons while playing for the Rangers, Oilers, Blues, Hurricanes, Ducks, and Islanders.
His 1,038 career points are seventh among American-born players in NHL history.
“To know you’ll never go out the tunnel and play in the playoffs, it’s tough,” Weight said. “But I’m looking forward to everything in front of me.”