Islanders lose C Weight for six weeks with MCL sprain

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK (TICKER) —A bad season for the New York Islanders got worse Thursday as the team announced center Doug Weight will miss six weeks with a sprained MCL in his knee.

The 17-year veteran suffered the injury in a collision with New Jersey’s Brian Gionta during the second period of a 4-2 loss to the Devils on Wednesday.

A native of Detroit, Weight has collected nine goals and 26 assists in 44 games this season with the Islanders, with whom he signed as a free agent on July 2. He ranks second on the team with 35 points.

New York has lost four straight (0-3-1) and sits in last place in the NHL with 38 points (16-32-6).

Selected by the New York Rangers in the second round of the 1990 draft, Weight has amassed 274 tallies and 1,004 points in 1,175 career contests with the Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks and Islanders.

BILL'S TAKE: I am sad to see that Doug is going to miss pretty much the rest of the season. He's played well when he was healthy. This also sort of takes away the Islanders' biggest bargaining chip for the trade deadline. I don't think Brendan Witt, warrior that he is, will be clamored after since he has been only semi-effective this year and he is in his mid-30s.