National Hockey League

Isles captain retires after 19 NHL seasons

Published May. 26, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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New York Islanders captain Doug Weight officially hung up his skates Thursday after 19 seasons in the NHL.

Weight, 40, was a four-time All-Star, playing for six different teams during his professional career after starring at Lake Superior State University in Michigan.

"Of course saying goodbye and never going to play again in the league is terrible. It's tough," said Weight, who will stay on with the Islanders as an assistant coach, according to NHL.com. "It's a sickening, sad feeling, but it's also a new chapter to hopefully the greatest part of my life."

The Detroit-area native, who was selected 34th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft went on to score 278 goals and amass 1,033 points during his career.

Weight spent eight seasons playing center for the Edmonton Oilers before stops with the St. Louis Blues and the Carolina Hurricanes, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2006.

"Hockey-wise, nobody saw the ice better than Dougie," said his friend and former teammate Bill Guerin, according to the Islanders' website. "He was a winger's dream to be playing with because of the way he passed the puck and saw the ice."

After a short stint with the Anaheim Ducks during the 2007-08 season, Weight joined the Islanders.

Weight was limited during his three seasons with the Islanders, missing 139 games due to injury, according to NHL.com.

Weight also won a silver medal playing for the US hockey team during the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Weight's retirement followed that of Detroit Red Wing, and former US teammate, Brian Rafalski Wednesday.

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