Ryan Smyth
Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth ( born February 21, 1976 in Banff, Alberta ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is since June 2011 with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League contract.
- 2.1 International
- 3.1 International
Career
The age of eleven Ryan Smyth worked at the Banff Springs Hotel, where the Canadian national hockey team for the upcoming Canada Cup prepared in 1987, when he was hit by Glenn Anderson of the Edmonton Oilers, but wore no serious injuries.
Five years later, he began his career in the Canadian junior Western Hockey League with the Moose Jaw Warriors, before he was selected in the NHL Entry Draft in 1994 by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round at position six. After three appearances for the Oilers in the 1994/95 season he returned to the WHL and made the final leap into the professional camp in the fall of 1995, where he again met Glenn Anderson, with whom he played together.
A first exclamation mark he set during the 1996/97 season with 39 goals and 61 points, so he put his talent as a good scorer proof. In the following two years, his point yield declined significantly, so he reached 31 and 33 points. In the season 1999/2000 it went up again and 2000/ 01 he played his best season so far, in the Smyth scored 70 points. In the following years he did not build this brand, also not because the striker was often plagued by injury problems.
After failure of the NHL season 2004/ 05 because of the lockout did not succeed in Oilers again to shine with positive results. In the final season game of the regular season, the team from Edmonton secured the last playoff spot. When the team at the worst set in the Western Conference defeated the Oilers in the first round it the Detroit Red Wings. In round two against the San Jose Sharks a scene was memorable, which underlined the will and commitment from Ryan Smyth. His former teammate Chris Pronger wanted the puck away games, Smyth met here but in the mouth, which he lost three teeth and was bleeding from the mouth. He settled in the cabin treat and returned after a short time on the ice back and led the Oilers finally into the Western Conference Finals. There they defeated the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and managed to become the first team in the NHL history to the finals for the Stanley Cup, even though they were the worst team set in the west. In the final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Oilers defeated in the seventh and deciding game.
During the season 2006/ 07 Smyth had a few times because of injuries sidelined and was appointed to the NHL All-Star Game. End of January 2007 he took the Edmonton Oilers to the negotiations for a new contract, as the existing contract was due to expire in the summer to go. The negotiations were difficult, and until February 26 24 hours before the end of the transfer period, no agreement has been made. On 27 February 2007 Ryan Smyth was transferred with 13 years of the franchise 's longest-serving player, 20 minutes before the end of the transfer period to the New York Islanders, as they still had not agreed to at this time on a new contract. In the end, both parties should have only about $ 100,000 per year located apart, at an annual salary of approximately $ 5.5 million.
After parting from Smyth gave Edmonton on March 1, his debut in the jersey of the New York Islanders. In the last game of the regular season, the Islanders secured by a victory against the New Jersey Devils in the shootout the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, he retired in the first round with the Islanders. The management of the New York Islanders sought in the following months, an extension of the expiring contract in July 2007. However, both parties found no agreement and Smyth signed a contract with the Colorado Avalanche.
On June 26, 2011 it gave the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Colin Fraser from and a seventh- round choice of law in the NHL Entry Draft in 2012 to the Edmonton Oilers.
Internationally
Smyth can look back on a great international career with the Canadian national team already. Already in 1995 he won his first world title at the Junior World Cup. From 1999 to 2005 he played every year for Canada at the World Championships, but was also due to the poor performance of his team in the NHL and Smyth could go to the World Cup after leaving the Oilers, which takes place simultaneously with the NHL playoffs. At the time, he led the team five times as a team captain, so he was nicknamed "Captain Canada" and twice won the world title. Added to this was the Olympic gold medal in 2002 and winning the World Cup of Hockey 2004. In 61 games, he was at the World Championships on the ice and so often, like no other player who has ever worn the jersey with the maple leaf.
Awards and achievements
Internationally
- 2004 Gold Medal at the World Cup of Hockey
- 2004 Gold Medal at the World Championships
- 2005 Silver medal at the World Championships
- 2012 Winner of the Spengler Cup with Team Canada
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented Canada at:
- U20 Junior World Cup in 1995
- 1999 World Cup
- World Cup 2000
- World Cup 2001
- 2002 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2002
- 2003 World Cup
- World Cup 2004
- World Cup of Hockey 2004
- World Championship 2005
- 2006 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2010
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )
Others
- Smyth is married and has two children.
- He wears the number 94 because he has graduated from high school in 1994 and he was selected in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.
- His brother Kevin played 58 games for the Hartford Whalers in the NHL before he had to end his career due to an eye injury.