Sad news: Edomonton have just announced the retirement of two of their best players

Sad news: Edomonton have just announced the retirement of two of their best players

Ryan Smyth, a forward for the Edmonton Oilers, adjusted his helmet on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, during the Oilers NHL training camp in Edmonton, Alberta.
The Canadian Journal

The 18-season NHL veteran, who was also a mainstay on Team Canada, was selected by Edmonton with the sixth overall pick in 1994 and played the majority of his career in the capital of Alberta.

He became the face of the Oilers after Wayne Gretzky left, combining toughness and scoring prowess to help the team reach the Stanley Cup final in 2006.

At a press conference alongside Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish, Smyth, 38, made the announcement. The scrappy forward fought back tears as he thanked everyone in a speech that saw him thank everyone, from former teammates to the Oilers’ massage therapist.

“There comes a time in my life where you have to turn the page, and today I’m doing that,” Smyth stated. “As hard as it is to say goodbye to the game of hockey, I’m blessed that God has given me the ability and the passion (for) this great game and to have had the opportunity to play for as long as I have.”

Before Edmonton plays the visiting Vancouver Canucks in the season finale, he has played in 1,269 games and has 386 goals, 456 assists, and 974 penalty minutes. In 93 career playoff games, he added 59 points (28–31) and 88 penalty minutes.

Because of his devotion to the Canadian men’s national team, he also gained the moniker “Captain Canada.”.

“There are many players that have worn the Edmonton Oilers jersey, but there are no players who wore the jersey who had more passion than Ryan Smyth,” MacTavish stated.

The Banff, Alberta, winger’s career will come to an end this Saturday when he plays against the Vancouver Canucks.

His teammates described him as a hardworking, blue-collar worker who earned his keep by deflecting and tipping in passes and basket shots while taking a brutal pounding in front of the net.

Oilers winger David Perron stated that Smyth was his childhood hero.

“He was always greasy around the net, scoring goals that left everyone wondering how they were scored. Yes, Ryan Smyth scored once more. He would have 30 to 40 goals by the end of the season, Perron said following practice on Friday.

Goalie Ben Scrivens of the Oilers stated that Smyth’s signature goals stem from a combination of bravery and skill.

“He’s always in position but never stops the puck, and it makes it really difficult to see pucks because no matter which way you look, it seems like he’s there,” Scrivens said.

He developed this talent by working hard and giving up his body.

“Many people knock goalies for standing in front of slapshots, but at least we have the gear to protect ourselves.”

In 14 of his 18 seasons with the Oilers, Smyth participated in at least 40 games. In 1996–97, his first full season with the team, he had 61 points (39 goals and 22 assists) in 82 games, which was a blossoming season for him.

Early in his career, Smyth was a reliable presence up front for Edmonton, providing a good combination of skill and toughness in his scoring. The six-foot-two, 191-pound player was a vital member of the Oilers’ Stanley Cup-winning squad in 2006.

Smyth finished that postseason with 16 points (7-9) in 24 games as the Oilers fell short of the Carolina Hurricanes in a seven-game series.

During the 2006–07 season, Smyth was traded to the New York Islanders at the trade deadline. The Oilers general manager, Kevin Lowe, and Smyth’s agent, Don Meehan, were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term contract until the very last minute.

That summer, Smyth was scheduled to become a free agent, and Lowe didn’t want to take a chance on losing him in the offseason. Smyth bid farewell to Edmonton at a tearful press conference held at the city airport.

In exchange, the Oilers received Ryan O’Marra, Robert Nilsson, and New York’s first-round draft pick of that particular year.

Before asking Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi for a trade in 2011, Smyth spent two seasons as a player with Colorado and two more with Los Angeles. In order to re-acquire Smyth, the Oilers agreed to give up forward Colin Fraser and a seventh-round selection in the 2012 draft in June of that year.

Over his previous three seasons, he has offered some experienced leadership to a young Oilers team.

Smyth’s final opportunity to break the team record for power-play goals is this coming Saturday. Smyth leads Gretzky by one with 126, as does Glenn Anderson.

Perron said that the game on Saturday will be unique.

“He will experience some emotional turmoil tomorrow. even for us,” Perron remarked. “It’s a pretty sad day.”

Smyth participated in two Winter Games abroad and helped Canada win gold in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

During his prime, Smyth also represented Canada in seven consecutive world hockey championships and won gold at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.