Nooooo!!! Ryan Smyth is leaving us!!

[Albertan mom]

I can't believe that Ryan is no longer with the Oilers.

When my DS8 heard, he got tears in his eyes

It is a sad day for Canadians to lose such a awesome player.

My son (and hubby) say they are sick of the Oilers crappy management, and they are cheering for another team. (some Loyalty hey!!!)

 

[LindaM]

There's always the FLAMES.....sorry was in Oiler country on the weekend....but I'm a diehard Flames fan

 

[bbangel]

Just one more reason I tend not to watch the NHL anymore.
So sad that Ryan is leaving. Happens anytime they want money more on par with what US players make.

 

[Albertan mom]

Ya.
Have been watching the Sports Channels here for the last hour, it turns out maybe Lowe isn't as dumb as we originally thought!!!
(though he did stumble through his press conference!)

There is always many sides to a story....

We'll see how the game goes tonight!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

There's always hope RS will be back in Edmonton ... afterall he's an UFA this summer.

 

[drag n' fly]

There's always the FLAMES.....sorry was in Oiler country on the weekend....but I'm a diehard Flames fan

ditto

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

To bad he did not do what Darcy Tucker did for the Maple Leafs. He was re-signed to a 4 year/$12 million contract, when he could have become a unrestriced free agent on July 1st & may have got a lot more money, even a 5th year. Well he gave the Leafs a home town discount, where as Smyth was greedy & wanted just a little extra. Yes you can blame the Oilers managment for this, however Smyth is just as much to blame.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Yes you can blame the Oilers managment for this, however Smyth is just as much to blame.

Exactly - there are always 2 sides to a negotiation and Ryan chose not to accept the deal Mgmt was offering

 

[Albertan mom]

Too bad they lost so bad tonight, they could have used the encouragement of a win.

 

[FreddyBeach]

My son (and hubby) say they are sick of the Oilers crappy management, and they are cheering for another team. (some Loyalty hey!!!)

That crappy management had them within 1 game of the Stanley Cup last year. My Habs haven't sniffed the thing since '93. They only thing I would hold against Lowe is that he didn't get more for him. If Lowe had kept him and he walked in the offseason, he would have been roasted for letting him go for nothing. The proverbial rock and a hard place.

I have this unfortunate curse of seeing both sides of a story... Put yourself in Smyth's shoes... Imagine knowing that this summer someone is going to offer you 5.5 - 6.0 MILLION dollars to work for them. Your current boss won't match. Your line of work is such that you only have 10 maybe (MAYBE) 15 years before some young buck pushes you out (and you've already used up 11 of them). It's a hard thing to ignore.

Lowe on the other hand has a business to run, only so much money to go around. He has to decide when enough is enough and move on. Smythe is the kind of guy EVERY team wants, but for 5.5 million for 5 years? He'll be almost 37 at the end of this next contract (assuming 5 years). It's a tough pill to swallow. Smyth plays hard. How much does he have left in the tank? (how many more teeth can he lose?)

Mike in the Maritimes.

 

[F4disneyfan]

Ya and I am PO'd the HABS didn't even make a serious play for him. Smyth will not be back in Edmonton next season I have a feeling he may end up staying on teh Island and if he does go elsewhere I think the Yotes will have the money to sign him to the deal he wants and he would love to play for Wayner.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

That crappy management had them within 1 game of the Stanley Cup last year. My Habs haven't sniffed the thing since '93. They only thing I would hold against Lowe is that he didn't get more for him. If Lowe had kept him and he walked in the offseason, he would have been roasted for letting him go for nothing. The proverbial rock and a hard place.

I have this unfortunate curse of seeing both sides of a story... Put yourself in Smyth's shoes... Imagine knowing that this summer someone is going to offer you 5.5 - 6.0 MILLION dollars to work for them. Your current boss won't match. Your line of work is such that you only have 10 maybe (MAYBE) 15 years before some young buck pushes you out (and you've already used up 11 of them). It's a hard thing to ignore.

Lowe on the other hand has a business to run, only so much money to go around. He has to decide when enough is enough and move on. Smythe is the kind of guy EVERY team wants, but for 5.5 million for 5 years? He'll be almost 37 at the end of this next contract (assuming 5 years). It's a tough pill to swallow. Smyth plays hard. How much does he have left in the tank? (how many more teeth can he lose?)

Mike in the Maritimes.

Very well put and quite right. Oilers fans will recall a few years back management was in a very similar situation with Curtis Joseph. They declined all trade offers, thinking they would get a deal done. When it didn't work out, the team was criticized for not getting anything for him when they could have.

The reality we in Oil country have to accept is that we are not going to make the playoffs this year. Over the summer one of two things is going to happen.

One possibility is that Smyth's stats his season will earn him a big payday that the Oil would have never been able to come close to and KLowe will have avoided a repeat of the Cujo situation.

Another possibility is that Smitty will return to Edmonton as a UFA and KLowe will look like a genius for essentially getting three first rounders out of the Islanders for nothing.

Yes the trade is bad for Edmonton for the remainder of this season but the season is already a write off. Whether the deal minimized the team's loss or turns out to be a benefit to the team remains to be seen. Calgary fans will all remember how their management was ripped to shreds by the press for trading away a slightly-past-his-prime Joe Nieuwendyk for a young prospect named Jarome Iginla.

 

[F4disneyfan]

Very well put and quite right. Oilers fans will recall a few years back management was in a very similar situation with Curtis Joseph. They declined all trade offers, thinking they would get a deal done. When it didn't work out, the team was criticized for not getting anything for him when they could have.

The reality we in Oil country have to accept is that we are not going to make the playoffs this year. Over the summer one of two things is going to happen.

One possibility is that Smyth's stats his season will earn him a big payday that the Oil would have never been able to come close to and KLowe will have avoided a repeat of the Cujo situation.

Another possibility is that Smitty will return to Edmonton as a UFA and KLowe will look like a genius for essentially getting three first rounders out of the Islanders for nothing.

Yes the trade is bad for Edmonton for the remainder of this season but the season is already a write off. Whether the deal minimized the team's loss or turns out to be a benefit to the team remains to be seen. Calgary fans will all remember how their management was ripped to shreds by the press for trading away a slightly-past-his-prime Joe Nieuwendyk for a young prospect named Jarome Iginla.

Yes but Smyth isn't past his prime and O Marra and Nilsson are no where near an Iginla and as was commented on byt the guys at TSN and Sportsnet they are career 3rd liners at best. Smyth is not going to end up back in Edmonton he will sign elswere likeley in PHX or back in Long Island.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Very well put and quite right. Oilers fans will recall a few years back management was in a very similar situation with Curtis Joseph. They declined all trade offers, thinking they would get a deal done. When it didn't work out, the team was criticized for not getting anything for him when they could have.

That was a very happy day for me & all Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Because Joseph signed with the Leafs & turned the whole team around.

 

[SeanK]

I can't believe that Ryan is no longer with the Oilers.

When my DS8 heard, he got tears in his eyes

It is a sad day for Canadians to lose such a awesome player.

My son (and hubby) say they are sick of the Oilers crappy management, and they are cheering for another team. (some Loyalty hey!!!)

Dear Oilers,

Thanks for getting rid of Smyth

Signed Calgary Flames
PS. See you at the next Battle of Alberta

GO FLAMES GO

 

[Albertan mom]

Dear Oilers,

Thanks for getting rid of Smyth

Signed Calgary Flames
PS. See you at the next Battle of Alberta

GO FLAMES GO

My son says he is cheering for the Flames now. He is torn what to do!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

That was a very happy day for me & all Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Because Joseph signed with the Leafs & turned the whole team around.

It was a happy day for DH too as he's a Leaf fan (he was living in TO back then)