Ryan Smyth
Posted 11:58 PM ET | Comments 0
You (well some of you) have been VERY patiently waiting for the Ryan Smyth story. There are many reasons that much of what I am going to tell you next, couldn't be told until now. There are still other elements that I have been sworn to not tell. And I won't betray those confidences.
There are many stories about what went down around 1:30pm on trade deadline day when it became obvious that Ryan and the Oilers weren't getting a deal done.
Ryan Smyth loved Edmonton. When he was drafted, he slept the entire night in Hartford in his hotel room with his door opened so he could see the Oilers jersey he had been given. He was the perfect Oiler. He was the only saving grace for Oilers fans after the dynasty had to be slowly dismantled. He was the glue and the bridge.
All sorts of rumors swirled on trade deadline day. At one point I was told a story that Ryan had put his foot down and said. "Make me an Oiler for life. Get it done." Shortly after that it was leaked that it was "a done deal" to myself and two other reporters and three radio stations in Canada. I called those other sources and they had all heard the same story. "Make me an Oiler for life. Get it Done."
It was at this point, after getting five other sources who had the same thing that I reported that I was hearing the Smyth signing was done. It was shortly after this spread that conflicting reports came back...Everything from "why and where was the story leaked" to "Ryan is really ticked about that story being leaked" to "there is no way it gets done now."
The leak was not the reason the deal fell apart in the end of course. There were millions of pieces of paper at the front of it all, but the leak was one of the inside side stories of the day, and part of some bigger things that in the end caused bigger problems.
The rest is history of course, and Ryan became and islander and it looked like, whatever happened, Ryan would NEVER return to Edmonton. I have heard that Ryan felt like he had been played for his good nature and loyalty. Ryan is all that and more.
Now there is word out of Edmonton that some of those misunderstandings, or whatever you want to call them, have been resolved or at least are in the process of being resolved.
Knowing what I know, this is a credit to Ryan Smyth, and another reason that this guy deserves to be paid like a 40 goal scorer.
So Oilers fans, it now looks like your star may indeed return. You are most definitely in the game. I started the free agent chart yesterday, and each day i will try and go into the stories behind one or two of the reasons for my thinking
These are Ryan's current numbers on The Chart . The numbers reflect the percentage that Ryan will possibly sign with which team, These numbers will be adjusted the second I get any new info, right until July1 (when I think Ryan will sign) or later...
if what i saw on hf boards was right about ctv reporting that the isles offered him 7 years/41 million. i think he did this to forgive kevin lowe and will resign with us. or at least i hope he comes back
There are many stories about what went down around 1:30pm on trade deadline day when it became obvious that Ryan and the Oilers weren't getting a deal done.
Ryan Smyth loved Edmonton. When he was drafted, he slept the entire night in Hartford in his hotel room with his door opened so he could see the Oilers jersey he had been given. He was the perfect Oiler. He was the only saving grace for Oilers fans after the dynasty had to be slowly dismantled. He was the glue and the bridge.
All sorts of rumors swirled on trade deadline day. At one point I was told a story that Ryan had put his foot down and said. "Make me an Oiler for life. Get it done." Shortly after that it was leaked that it was "a done deal" to myself and two other reporters and three radio stations in Canada. I called those other sources and they had all heard the same story. "Make me an Oiler for life. Get it Done."
It was at this point, after getting five other sources who had the same thing that I reported that I was hearing the Smyth signing was done. It was shortly after this spread that conflicting reports came back...Everything from "why and where was the story leaked" to "Ryan is really ticked about that story being leaked" to "there is no way it gets done now."
The leak was not the reason the deal fell apart in the end of course. There were millions of pieces of paper at the front of it all, but the leak was one of the inside side stories of the day, and part of some bigger things that in the end caused bigger problems.
The rest is history of course, and Ryan became and islander and it looked like, whatever happened, Ryan would NEVER return to Edmonton. I have heard that Ryan felt like he had been played for his good nature and loyalty. Ryan is all that and more.
Now there is word out of Edmonton that some of those misunderstandings, or whatever you want to call them, have been resolved or at least are in the process of being resolved.
Knowing what I know, this is a credit to Ryan Smyth, and another reason that this guy deserves to be paid like a 40 goal scorer.
So Oilers fans, it now looks like your star may indeed return. You are most definitely in the game. I started the free agent chart yesterday, and each day i will try and go into the stories behind one or two of the reasons for my thinking
These are Ryan's current numbers on The Chart . The numbers reflect the percentage that Ryan will possibly sign with which team, These numbers will be adjusted the second I get any new info, right until July1 (when I think Ryan will sign) or later...
if what i saw on hf boards was right about ctv reporting that the isles offered him 7 years/41 million. i think he did this to forgive kevin lowe and will resign with us. or at least i hope he comes back