Veteran center Doug Weight, who signed a one-year contract with the Islanders, said it would be unwise to count him or the team out this season.
“I’m going to expect a lot of myself,” the new Islander said yesterday at Nassau Coliseum. “I’m fully expecting to have a great year.”
The 37-year-old Weight is a veteran who joined the Isles, though the team has many young players. But despite coming off a season in which he tallied his fewest points, the center said he hardly believes he’s washed up. Weight still wants to play and still thinks he can be an elite player.
“After the end of this year, I was ready to say, ‘That was it.’ ” he said. “Fifteen months ago, I was playing some of the best hockey I’ve played in 10 years. So I have a lot in my tank.”
Weight also said the Isles have “a lot of youth, and we’re going to expect a lot out of them.”
Though the Islanders haven’t named a coach, Weight praised general manager Garth Snow for the way he’s handling the process.
“He’s taking his time,” Weight said. “I’ve seen this in the two weeks or three weeks I’ve been a part of this organization, I can see that he knows exactly what he wants, and to be honest with you, that’s the most important thing.”