Normally an interim head coach were to slam the National Hockey League during some of his comments it would likely be brushed off, but not when that interim head coach is a former NHL great.
On Wednesday Islanders coach Dough Weight voiced his displeasure regarding the NHL's scheduling decisions this season, and while it was obvious that Weight feared a fine could be possible, he made the comments anyways.
From Newday's Laura Albanese:
It’s no secret that the Islanders are embroiled in one of the most difficult stretches hockey has to offer, but after a nine-game road trip and now a back-to-back home-and-away, Weight said it’s taken an undue toll on the team.
“I don’t feel like getting fined but to have five days off and then to fly to Dallas, and then to fly to Chicago, and then you have a 2 o’clock game in Calgary when their building was empty for the next four days . . . and then you come home and you play one home game and go back, it’s ludicrous for me,” he said. “I yelled and screamed (at the team after the loss Monday) anyway because they deserved it. You have to be better this time of year, but fatigue is a factor.”
The Islanders have experienced a tremendous turn around since head coach Jack Capuano was fired and Dough Weight took over behind the bench, and now it seems like Weight may earn even more respect from his team by going to bat for them.
Weight isn't the only person who has expressed displeasure regarding the NHL's scheduling decisions this season, and one has to imagine that the level of pressure being felt by the league on the issue may bring some changes.
