I am the Liquor
ABK
- Oct 15, 2008
- 40,456
- 5,501
Ryan Smyth to retire
- Thread starter Aceboogie
- Start date
Oscar Acosta
Registered User
- Mar 19, 2011
- 7,695
- 369
Oscar Acosta
Registered User
- Mar 19, 2011
- 7,695
- 369
Remember when it was a thing that Lowe was concerned about giving Taylor Hall his #4? So sure he was next in line..
I am the Liquor
ABK
- Oct 15, 2008
- 40,456
- 5,501
People make mistakes.
In a situation as bleak as this one, as a fan, why not remember the good times?
I agree that retiring his number is bumfoolery, but that was the first game Ive attended in some time where the crowd was generally positive. Its been a long time since that's happened.
DisgruntledGoat*
Registered User
- Dec 26, 2010
- 4,301
- 27
If every player who fought with this franchise over money was a bad guy then we've never had a good guy.
Bangers
Registered User
- May 31, 2006
- 3,919
- 868
Have to disagree with this.
I like Smyth. That being said, however, his mantra was always "never leave money on the table".
This is a positive farewell thread, so I'm not going to dwell on the negativity, but Smyth was always all about the benjamins.
Jimmi McJenkins
Sometimes miracles
Yup and that is long over, Smyth really got nothing out of it and the Oilers didn't get anything out of it, so it was really a wash and a mistake from all sides.
frag2
Registered User
- Mar 8, 2006
- 19,236
- 7,406
Lowe was never concerned; rather the media was curious if Hall would "demand" it. There was zero hostility/animosity when Lowe said Hall was cool to use. Just media stirring **** up for the sake of stirring **** up.
Roof Daddy
Registered User
- Apr 1, 2008
- 13,132
- 2,281
Maybe you forget how many times Coffey, Fuhr and Messier battled with Pocklington and refused to report to training camp. Same with Moog (held out for half a year before forcing a trade). Different times, and I'd side with those players from the 80's versus Pocklington, but it still happened.
Also, it was mentioned in the in depth profile Matheson wrote on the EIG's tenure that Lowe and Nichols had discussed Smyth's next deal and what they felt comfortable with, and it wasn't so much about the dollars/cap hit as it was about term. They felt he played such a grinding style that he'd break down over the course of a long-term deal. This was all taking place while the team was setting an organizational record for man games lost to injury. Much was made about the 5.4 vs 5.5 stance, but it was mentioned in the article that Nichols told Lowe to make sure a deal doesn't get done unless its 2-3 years. Smitty walking away from 100k difference was intended as a PR spin.
In the end, we lost out on the deal (the picks and prospects turned into nothing) and its fair to suggest this was where the organization officially went down the toilet. By no means am I suggesting Smyth would have made us a playoff team in any of those years, but we took a heart and soul guy who battles every shift and replaced him with Nilsson and Penner. Instant identity crisis.
Oil In My Veins
Registered User
Are you serious?! And no, I'm not on a high from the retirement.
Smyth embodied everything that you'd want in an Oiler and was the most proud Oiler ever to wear those colours. He's the perfect example of the type of player future Oilers should model themselves after.
I can't ever see anyone else wearing #94 and it should absolutely be retired.
Del Preston
Registered User
- Mar 8, 2013
- 63,171
- 78,954
The guy that scored the GWG late in Game 3 to get the Oilers back into the series didn't show up in the Finals? Okay...
Replacement*
Checked out
heh, I think I was even there for part of that one.
How many HST fans are there on a hockey board..
Last edited:
Replacement*
Checked out
One thing I'd like to reflect on here in the thread is how Smyth's retirement, whether one be anywhere in the city, watching it on TV, or at the arena was such an emotional and celebrated experience and with even refs and opponents being part of that celebration.
Mainly because everybody recognizes Smyth was a throwback and a player and person that recognized that every game, every year, every opportunity was special and that every fan and person he came into contact with was special.
Smyth got this level of praise not only as a hockey player but for being one that fully recognized every day what a gift it is to have this opportunity.
He ate, slept lived the role, on and off the ice.
As much as this board liked to deride the players contributions for years and posters like myself have had to read that junk its clear what the city thought about Ryan Smyth.
As far as retiring the Jersey? Maybe. Emotionally speaking the only players that had MORE of a connection with the city and fanbase are Gretz and Mess. Strange as that may seem. Not saying it in view of merit at all, just on the player/person/fan connection. Smytty was just a guy that was easy to love and admire and relate to.
Mainly because everybody recognizes Smyth was a throwback and a player and person that recognized that every game, every year, every opportunity was special and that every fan and person he came into contact with was special.
Smyth got this level of praise not only as a hockey player but for being one that fully recognized every day what a gift it is to have this opportunity.
He ate, slept lived the role, on and off the ice.
As much as this board liked to deride the players contributions for years and posters like myself have had to read that junk its clear what the city thought about Ryan Smyth.
As far as retiring the Jersey? Maybe. Emotionally speaking the only players that had MORE of a connection with the city and fanbase are Gretz and Mess. Strange as that may seem. Not saying it in view of merit at all, just on the player/person/fan connection. Smytty was just a guy that was easy to love and admire and relate to.
CornKicker
Holland is wrong..except all of the good things
- Feb 18, 2005
- 11,862
- 3,138
the guy showed up to an old ladys 106th birthday party to let her play with his hair, Retire that 94 already.
Something to me does not ring genuine with this player from an emotional standpoint. Ryan seems to just go overboard, like he enjoys the crying to much.
yukoner88
Registered User
Awesome, just saw Landsberg and Lynden Byers on OTR completely mock Smyth in his last game and then go straight to talking about Torterella. 
stay classy tsn
stay classy tsn
Couldn't you put Smyth in the conversation with Messier? Hear me out: I know Messier won five (!!!) cups with Edmonton, but it seems like his legacy was with the Rangers and city and player both adopted each other. They retired his number first and you know Messier would take a job with the Rangers in a heartbeat. Smyth, on the other hand looked completely wrong in any other uniform.
Disclaimer: I was not old/alive enough to remember the 80s.
Replacement*
Checked out
Well, few players in todays age show as much loyalty to any one team. 16/20 seasons spent here with both figures being enormous. Oilers have never had anything like that at all. I would imagine next to that its a dozen years spent here for Mess. I'm not sure what the figures are for alltime games spent with one club but Smyth is up there in 99th percentile I imagine.
I wonder if the retiring jersey convo is any different if 20/20yrs were spent here.
Captain Catatomic
SuprstitionCondition
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