In hockey terms, Doug Weight has done it all. He has played in 17 NHL seasons, scoring 969 points in 1,131 regular season games. He's raised the Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Hurricanes and won a silver medal for the United States at the Olympics. But right now, the 37-year-old Detroit native is excited about the coming season after signing a free agent contract with the New York Islanders.

Weight signed a one-year, incentive-laden deal to join the Isles, a team coming off a disappointing season and going through a youth movement. By signing with New York, he rejoins ex-teammate and friend Bill Guerin, who formed an effective duo with Weight in Edmonton and St. Louis. In fact, it was Guerin who was influential in bringing Weight to Long Island.

Weight knows he will be called on to assume a leadership role on a young team and he's eager to get to camp and start the new season.

"When you have a lot of young guys, you can go in two directions," Weight explained as he was introduced to fans and media this weekend at the Nassau Coliseum. "You can wait for everyone else to do it or we can come in and instill confidence in these kids and expect a lot of them and begin to breed that attitude that we're going to win every game. It comes from the leadership and the veterans; so hopefully, we can have that feeling coming out of camp this year."

Weight has been with a team on a youth movement before when he was with the post-Gretzky and Messier Oilers and he knows a program like that can be successful.

"I saw a team grow from a rebuilding stage," Weight said. "It was about the camaraderie, the team being united from youth to veterans, the accountability throughout the room. It was just a great learning experience."

He has a similar idea for helping to lead the Islanders. "We have to be professional and we have to expect a lot from these kids but also let these guys grow with us. Seniority is something that we earn and we use it in a good way. We want these guys to feel comfortable, to be able to talk to every guy in the room, to be able to discuss hockey. I think a young hockey player plays their best hockey when they're comfortable and we want to make these guys confident and comfortable and to feel part of this team because to be successful, we're going to need that."

While leading the younger players will be a challenge, Weight is also viewing a personal challenge as well. Last year, he scored only 10 goals and 25 points in a season split between St. Louis and Anaheim. While with the Ducks, he found himself in an unfamiliar position: not playing a major role in the club's offense.

"Last year was the first time for me that I was told, 'You're not going to play a lot because we have this guy and this guy and you're more of an insurance policy.' I've been an offensive player my whole life and to go to a team and to hear those things, I'm like, 'Why the heck did you get me?' It was a tough year in that regard but it's how I bounce back. I'm fully expecting to have a great year."

Weight has a clear idea of what he hopes to accomplish individually on the ice. "I feel like I have a lot of good hockey let in me, so I want to score," he added. "I think my 110 point years are gone: now there's only one guy in the league that does that, but if you can get 50 assists and 15-20 goals, it's considered a great year. I want to be a big part of the offense. I want to force myself to get ice time and I have to earn it. I'm 37, that's not old. I take care of myself."

The Islanders had Guerin present Weight with his new Islanders jersey. With his traditional number 39 taken by franchise goalie, Rick DiPietro, Weight took number 93. He was thinking of other possible numbers, but during a fishing trip this summer with Wayne Gretzky, "The Great One" told him it was a no-brainer to reverse the numbers and take 93. "I can't go against that, now," Weight said.

Weight began his NHL career with the New York Rangers and he was excited about once again taking part in one of hockey's biggest rivalries. "I remember the fans used to be nuts back when there was a lot more fighting," Weight said, recalling his time with the Rangers. "You go into those games with adrenaline and there were more fights in the stands than there were on the ice." He also said the intensity of the rivalry can easily be revived. "We have to get that back. It can happen quickly. It can happen with one great game and one physical game. I think we play them six times this year and we want to play at a high level."

When asked about his new team's chances, Weight was optimistic. "I'm not sure we're going to be picked to make the playoffs," Weight admitted. "I would imagine we'll be right on the cusp in people's minds and that's fine but we have a lot of people to prove wrong. I think that has to start in September and I excited about that challenge."

Notes