Doug Weight was always one of the most honest and candid players I came across during all my years covering the Edmonton Oilers. That said, it’s not surprising that the future captain of the Oilers admitted after being acquired from the New York Rangers in March 1993 that, at the time, he probably couldn’t find Edmonton on a map if he tried.
It’s somewhat ironic, then, that by the time Weight was traded to St. Louis on Canada Day 2001 with the Oilers unable to afford him, Edmonton was home and where his heart was. He’d left a significant mark on the town that the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and other Oiler greats had put on the NHL map in the 1980s. Weight, a native of Warren, Michigan, loved playing in Edmonton and Edmonton had adopted him as one of its own.
Doug Weight
Center
Born Jan 21 1971 — Detroit, MI
Height 5.11 — Weight 200 [180 cm/91 kg]
Drafted by New York Rangers
Round 2 #34 overall 1990 NHL Entry Draft
BY THE NUMBERS
Season |
Age |
Tm |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
S |
S% |
TOI |
ATOI |
1991-92 |
21 |
NYR |
53 |
8 |
22 |
30 |
-3 |
23 |
72 |
11.1 |
||
1992-93 |
22 |
TOT |
78 |
17 |
31 |
48 |
2 |
65 |
125 |
13.6 |
||
1992-93 |
22 |
NYR |
65 |
15 |
25 |
40 |
4 |
55 |
90 |
16.7 |
||
1992-93 |
22 |
EDM |
13 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
-2 |
10 |
35 |
5.7 |
||
1993-94 |
23 |
EDM |
84 |
24 |
50 |
74 |
-22 |
47 |
188 |
12.8 |
||
1994-95 |
24 |
EDM |
48 |
7 |
33 |
40 |
-17 |
69 |
104 |
6.7 |
||
1995-96 |
25 |
EDM |
82 |
25 |
79 |
104 |
-19 |
95 |
204 |
12.3 |
||
1996-97 |
26 |
EDM |
80 |
21 |
61 |
82 |
1 |
80 |
235 |
8.9 |
||
1997-98 |
27 |
EDM |
79 |
26 |
44 |
70 |
1 |
69 |
205 |
12.7 |
||
1998-99 |
28 |
EDM |
43 |
6 |
31 |
37 |
-8 |
12 |
79 |
7.6 |
854 |
19:51 |
1999-00 |
29 |
EDM |
77 |
21 |
51 |
72 |
6 |
54 |
167 |
12.6 |
1585 |
20:35 |
2000-01 |
30 |
EDM |
82 |
25 |
65 |
90 |
12 |
91 |
188 |
13.3 |
1815 |
22:08 |
2001-02 |
31 |
STL |
61 |
15 |
34 |
49 |
20 |
40 |
131 |
11.5 |
1208 |
19:48 |
2002-03 |
32 |
STL |
70 |
15 |
52 |
67 |
-6 |
52 |
182 |
8.2 |
1426 |
20:23 |
2003-04 |
33 |
STL |
75 |
14 |
51 |
65 |
-3 |
37 |
198 |
7.1 |
1532 |
20:25 |
2005-06 |
35 |
TOT |
70 |
15 |
42 |
57 |
-17 |
75 |
175 |
8.6 |
1452 |
20:44 |
2005-06 |
35 |
STL |
47 |
11 |
33 |
44 |
-11 |
50 |
123 |
8.9 |
1048 |
22:17 |
2005-06 |
35 |
CAR |
23 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
-6 |
25 |
52 |
7.7 |
404 |
17:35 |
2006-07 |
36 |
STL |
82 |
16 |
43 |
59 |
10 |
56 |
123 |
13.0 |
1500 |
18:17 |
2007-08 |
37 |
TOT |
67 |
10 |
15 |
25 |
4 |
32 |
96 |
10.4 |
979 |
14:37 |
2007-08 |
37 |
STL |
29 |
4 |
7 |
11 |
4 |
12 |
47 |
8.5 |
469 |
16:11 |
2007-08 |
37 |
ANA |
38 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
0 |
20 |
49 |
12.2 |
510 |
13:25 |
2008-09 |
38 |
NYI |
53 |
10 |
28 |
38 |
-15 |
55 |
96 |
10.4 |
969 |
18:17 |
2009-10 |
39 |
NYI |
36 |
1 |
16 |
17 |
-1 |
8 |
61 |
1.6 |
570 |
15:51 |
2010-11 |
40 |
NYI |
18 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
-3 |
10 |
26 |
7.7 |
315 |
17:32 |
9 yrs | EDM |
588 |
157 |
420 |
577 |
-48 |
527 |
1405 |
11.2 |
4254 |
21:03 |
|
6 yrs | STL |
364 |
75 |
220 |
295 |
14 |
247 |
804 |
9.3 |
7183 |
19:44 |
|
3 yrs | NYI |
107 |
13 |
51 |
64 |
-19 |
73 |
183 |
7.1 |
1855 |
17:20 |
|
2 yrs | NYR |
118 |
23 |
47 |
70 |
1 |
78 |
162 |
14.2 |
|||
1 yr | ANA |
38 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
0 |
20 |
49 |
12.2 |
510 |
13:25 |
|
1 yr | CAR |
23 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
-6 |
25 |
52 |
7.7 |
404 |
17:35 |
|
Career |
1238 |
278 |
755 |
1033 |
-58 |
970 |
2655 |
10.5 |
14205 |
19:21 |
PLAYOFFS
Season |
Age |
Tm |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
S |
S% |
TOI |
ATOI |
1990-91 |
20 |
NYR |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|||
1991-92 |
21 |
NYR |
7 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
50.0 |
||
1996-97 |
26 |
EDM |
12 |
3 |
8 |
11 |
0 |
8 |
54 |
5.6 |
||
1997-98 |
27 |
EDM |
12 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
-4 |
14 |
26 |
7.7 |
||
1998-99 |
28 |
EDM |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-3 |
15 |
4 |
25.0 |
59 |
14:43 |
1999-00 |
29 |
EDM |
5 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
-3 |
4 |
8 |
37.5 |
105 |
21:05 |
2000-01 |
30 |
EDM |
6 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
17 |
18 |
5.6 |
136 |
22:45 |
2001-02 |
31 |
STL |
10 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
22 |
4.5 |
164 |
16:26 |
2002-03 |
32 |
STL |
7 |
5 |
8 |
13 |
0 |
2 |
18 |
27.8 |
157 |
22:26 |
2003-04 |
33 |
STL |
5 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
-4 |
6 |
14 |
14.3 |
97 |
19:24 |
2005-06 |
35 |
CAR |
23 |
3 |
13 |
16 |
-3 |
20 |
35 |
8.6 |
355 |
15:27 |
2007-08 |
37 |
ANA |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
0.0 |
38 |
7:39 |
Career |
97 |
23 |
49 |
72 |
-13 |
94 |
205 |
11.2 |
1113 |
17:07 |
NOTABLE
“I didn’t know much about Edmonton, didn’t know where it was on the map to be honest with you,” said Weight, who was just 22 when he was acquired from the Rangers for Esa Tikkanen. “Glen Sather, Ron Low, the organization, they put pressure on me, they challenged me, they made me a better player, made me compete, made me a leader, and for that I thank them.”
With the Dynasty Days of the Oilers done and most of the Boys on the Bus traded away or sold by owner Peter Pocklington, Weight and younger, cheaper players like him – Jason Arnott, Zdeno Ciger, Dean McAmmond and Kirk Maltby – were supposed to be the new core of the five-time Stanly Cup champions. It didn’t take Weight long to establish himself as the Oilers’ marquee guy. He had 104 points in 1995-96. Weight was named team captain, taking over from popular Kelly Buchberger, in 1999.
During his nine-year tenure in Edmonton, the final two as captain, Weight led the Oilers to five consecutive playoff berths, including what became an annual spring rite – showdowns with the Dallas Stars. During the back-half of that stretch Weight was Edmonton’s best player, the highlight reel guy on a team that always found itself battling in the middle of the pack instead of running out front like in the glory days. Highlights? Just a few.
THE STORY
Remember Weight’s goal against the Calgary Flames? That’s here. How about Weight starting the play on Todd Marchant’s overtime goal in a stunning first-round upset of the Stars in 1997? That’s here. You can see a clip of Weight’s career highlights from his U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction here. In between, Weight’s best years in a career that spanned 1,238 games came with the Oilers – not counting, ahem, that 2006 Stanley Cup win as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. Let’s move on . . .
Weight never wanted to leave Edmonton, but as was the case with so many players in the era when Pocklington’s financial house of cards was exposed, the Oilers could no longer afford to keep him. Weight had made $4.3 million for two consecutive seasons and was due for a raise. GM Kevin Lowe knew there was no way he could give Weight market value – Lowe was right as Weight’s salary doubled with the Blues. Like that, Weight, seen by many along with Ryan Smyth as the greatest post-dynasty Oilers until the arrival of Connor McDavid, was gone.
“It was really, really difficult when I got traded,” Weight said. “I remember Kevin Lowe, when we talked in the summer. He pretty much let me know and explained to me that it was going to be hard to give me what everybody was being paid. Still, when the trade happened, it was just really tough on me. I didn’t look forward to anything for a while. I knew I was going to miss the Edmonton culture. It was hard. Edmonton was everything you could want in a city and an organization.” Likewise, Weight, the young man who couldn’t find Edmonton with a map when he arrived, had been everything this city could want in a player by the time he left.
This series will look at the top 100 Edmonton Oilers from the NHL era 1979-80 to 2014-15, starting with 100 and working up.
PREVIOUSLY:
- 11. Bill Ranford
- 12. Randy Gregg
- 13. Charlie Huddy
- 14. Andy Moog
- 15. Chris Pronger
- 16. Steve Smith
- 17. Craig MacTavish
- 18. Craig Simpson
- 19. Lee Fogolin
- 20. Jason Smith
- 21. Kevin McLelland
Loved Doug Weight. The Doug Weight trade was when I started to dislike Kevin Lowe, mostly because just a few months earlier he had claimed that by trading Bill Guerin the Oilers would be able to afford Weight.
Oilers last great center
Until Mr McDavid arrived
Sad when he left
Connor wire to wire
An Oiler hopefully
My favourite Edmonton Oiler of ALL-TIME.
The way he led the mid to late 90’s Oiler teams with 1/4 of the payroll was epic.
There is a large group of Oiler fans like myself that don’t remember the 80’s much but the Doug Weight era was a huge part of their childhood growing up.
100% yes.
Appreciate the old guard but really wish these alumni games featured more of the 90s guys and not just my dad’s Oilers.
I wonder if Oiler Alumni would be open to a training camp to see who makes the cut?
Looking at his plus minus number, assuming his goals for number would be similar. I am thinking the advanced stats crowd would not have liked him back then. One heck of a player. Does anyone have the link to his retirement press conference? He said a few good things about Edmonton and the Oilers but I have never been able to find a link to re-watch it.
That goal against the flames is in my top three favourite goals of all time.
The only thing that took the sting off the 06 Cup loss was Dougie lifting the Cup. A class act and a world-class talent on some mediocre teams.
Dougie lifting the Cup with one bum shoulder, was the only thing that made that loss bearable
Dougie.
For many of us “80s kids” (I was born in 1983), Doug Weight epitomizes the Edmonton Oilers of our youth. He epitomizes that moment when we became Edmonton Oilers fans not just because we lived in Edmonton or we inherited our fandom from older family members. No, we became Edmonton Oilers fans because we enjoyed cheering for a scrappy team of underdogs, the Little Engine that Could, blah blah blah. Dougie epitomizes that more than any other player.
I appreciate the greatness of the Boys on the Bus (Gretz, Mess, Jarri, Coffee, etc.) and I’m sure Robin will talk about them in his Top 10. But I was too young to appreciate them. And great things await McDavid, but it’s little different being a fan now that I’m an adult. The 2006 team (Pronger!) deserves mention, but it was so short-lived and ended so abruptly that I’m still not sure what to think of it. That’s one of the reasons why Smytty imo doesn’t evoke the same warm nostalgia that Dougie does.
McDavid is my current favourite Oiler. Gretz is certainly the best of all time. But Dougie is probably why I’m (still) an Oilers fan.
I was born in ’81 and started playing hockey in ’89. Pretty much my entire minor hockey career was spent trying to be like Doug Weight, mostly because he was the best (non-CuJo) Oiler on those underdog ’97/’98 playoff teams.
100% this
just a proper, old school Edmonton Oiler.
Tikkanen, Smyth, McDavid, Anderson, Coffey, Kurri, Fuhr, Messier, Gretzky, 9 thru 1 in that order.
Nope.
Denis Grebeshkov, McDavid, Anderson, Kurri, Fuhr, Smyth Anton Belov, Messier, Gretzky, 9 thru 1 in that order.
And don’t even think about replying “Nope”, Robin.
My list.
think Kurri at least is ahead of Fuhr and maybe Coffey.
Yeah, difficult to get the order of those 3 right.
You should create a thread where we can guess the top nine and then give some kind of “reward” for whoever gets it right.
I’m old enough to have watched every NHL Oilers game and Dougie is my fav!! He stayed here way longer then he had to playing for less money then he deserved. Class act all the way and wish him nothing but success with the NYI
My favourite (obviously).
The reason I’m an Oiler fan. Doug Weight. Talked the talk and walked the walk. I was also born in 83′ and miss the cup days, so for me he was it. As I get older I couldn’t be more thankfull that he was my hockey hero. Not just as a player put as a person. Just a good quality human being.
I’m 38 years old and only really remember the 1988 and 1990 cups so Dougie “was” the Oilers to me most of my teenage life. I was in the building when he scored his 100th point in 95 against the leafs and it’s still one of my best memories. I remember drinking with him one night at cowboys and him even helping me “close a deal” with a young lady by telling her that I just got called up from the minors and was gonna be a star… what a night that was!
Dougie is my favourite Oiler of all time and the Islanders have just become my second favourite NHL team.
Totally agree with Doug Weight being in the top ten! The one goal that I remember well is one you choose against Calgary……..it was a thing of beauty. This goal has to be in the top ten highlight reel goals of Oilers history.
Doug Weight is definitely one of the top ten 10 Oilers all time. Dec 28, 2000 was my most memorable game.
https://youtu.be/KMLRne5TDJM
39 and 94 should be up in the rafters.
Weight was awesome. It will be 23 years before an Oiler scores more than his 104 pts in a season when McDavid scores 125 this season.
The last true captain of the Oilers before the arrival of McDavid.
Weight… what? How is Doug Weight not in the HHOF?