Doug Weight loses interim status, becomes coach of Islanders

— -- Doug Weight, who was named the interim coach of the New York Islanders after Jack Capuano was fired earlier this season, was named the official head coach of the team Wednesday.

Weight, after stepping down from his assistant general manager position?to coach the team on Jan. 17, guided the Islanders to a 24-12-4 mark after Capuano's dismissal -- the second-best record in the NHL over that period. The Islanders finished one point behind Toronto for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"Doug has earned this opportunity from the tremendous work he has put in over the past five seasons in our front office and especially from the time he took over as interim head coach earlier this season," Islanders president and general manager Garth Snow said in a statement.

"His leadership and experiences from both playing and behind the bench are valuable intangibles that not every coach can translate into a winning formula. He's gained the trust and respect from our entire team, making him the best choice to become head coach."

The team said Weight would continue to serve as the team's assistant general manager.

Weight, 46, has been with the Islanders in various coaching/front-office roles since retiring as a player after the 2010-11 season. He spent his final three playing seasons with the Isles and was the 12th captain in team history.

"I'm honored to be named head coach of such an historic franchise with one of the most passionate fan-bases in the NHL," Weight said. "There is a deep history of winning with the Islanders and I look forward to doing everything in my power to return to the playoffs and have success."

Weight scored 278 goals and had 755 assists over 19 seasons with the Rangers, Oilers, Blues, Hurricanes, Ducks and the Islanders. The four-time All-Star selection was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013 and skated for Team USA in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics as well as the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 and 2004.