Former Islanders head coach Doug Weight back in the NHL

Former Islanders head coach Doug Weight is back in the NHL, just not back behind a bench.

San Jose Sharks' new GM Mike Grier announced that Weight has been named hockey operations advisor. According to NHL.com, in this role which reports directly to Grier, "Weight will collaborate with the Sharks general manager on player personnel, player acquisitions, drafting, and development."

Greier and Weight were teammates with the Edmonton Oilers from 1996-2001.

After serving as an assistant to Jack Capuano, Weight was named interim head coach of the Islanders on Jan. 17, 2017. Following the departure of Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, and Matt Martin, the team struggled after advancing to the second round of the playoffs. The coaching change sparked the Islanders as they surged in the second half, finishing 24-12-4 and finishing with 94 points, one shy of a playoff spot.

The team's success led to GM Garth Snow naming the player-friendly Weight head coach on April 12th. The following season, the Islanders were exciting, but also a defensive liability, allowing 293 goals - the most in the league and over 35 shots per game, also last. The team ended the season with a 35-37-10 record and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

In June of 2018, the new President of Hockey Operations, Lou Lamoriello relieved Weight and Snow of their duties. Weight finished with a 59-49-14 record as head coach of the Islanders.

"There's a culture change that's needed and there's new voices needed in different areas, and because of that, the changes (were) made," Lamoriello said at the time. "There's been a lot of changes for different reasons, and right now is just trying to stabilize anything, start off with a fresh face, start off with a fresh mind, a fresh coach, and just go forward."

Weight played in 1,238 NHL games with the New York Rangers, Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, and Islanders. His 1,033 points (278 goals, 755 assists) rank T-79th all-time and his assist total ranks 43rd all-time in NHL history.

The four-time All-Star was named Islanders captain in October 2009 and would retire following the 2010-11 season, his 19th in the NHL as a player.