TSN is reporting...

Ryan Smyth
for
O'Marra
Nilsson
1st rounder

Nilsson was a 1st rounder but was a big disappointment last fall, major hustle and heart issues, and the consensus on Long Island is that he'll need another couple of years and a heart transplant to join a Nolan team.

O'Marra is a quality first round prospect that is the loss but he's projected as a third liner in the NHL some day.

But Smyth is worth more than a first rounder: healthy, productive and scrappy, gets those clutch goals when it matters most and most importantly is a Nolan-type of player, all heart and soul and bleed with a smile.

The Islanders gave up nothing of their roster to get Zednik and Smyth?? Damn. They are THE deadline winners in the east.

When Yashin and Bates returns from injury:

Blake-Yashin-Satan
Smyth-Sillinger-Hunter
Robitaille-Kozlov-Zednik
Simon-Bates-Park

Hilbert, Asham extras

(One might think Zednik would fit better on the second line but Hunter is such a valuable player for the Isles this season, hitting everyone in sight and producing some offensively.)

Damn fine!!! If goaltending holds up, and the defense continues to do what it's been doing, this team can upset anybody in the East. In fact, it's worth putting some money down in Vegas for them going to the Eastern conference finals, though I think winning the first round of the playoffs is the likely good result of their successful season. But with the odds, it'd be worth betting on.

Hawks_G wrote:

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OilersBrent wrote:

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Both prospects are border line. They haven't lit it up by any means at the AHL level. Weak draft so pick won't amount to much.

Edmonton should have resigned Smyth for what he was asking. He was the team and they will surely miss him. They gave Hemsky, Pisani and Staios generous deals and when it comes to their franchise they short change him.

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How much do you know about these prospects?

Edmonton doesn't like to pay $6 million a year for mid 30 year olds. That is something that other franchises might have tendancy to do, but not in this neck of the woods.

Ryan Smyth is NOT worth $6 million a year.

That is...

$3 million more than Afinogenov
$1.5 million more than Alfredsson(Who had a 100 points last year.)
800K more than Martin Brodeur
$1 million more than Daniel Briere
$2 million more than Brind'Amour
$1.5 more than Demitra
$2 million more than Datsyuk
250K more than Forsberg
Around a million more than Gomez, Gagne, and Gaborik
The same cash as Havlat and Hossa....
$1.5 million more than Heatley
$1 million more than Jokinen

and I could go on through the whole alphabet. He isn't a player that makes others better. He is a gritty leader that goes in the tough areas and gets some tough goals.

Good to have but you can't build your team around this guy. There are dozens of guys I would rather have than Ryan Smyth....so, pass me the two decent prospects and first rounder for the UFA and we will move right along.

Anyone that wants to pay Ryan Smyth $6 million a year, hasn't seen him play enough to see what he brings to the table. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WILL BE GIVING HIM THAT SAME MONEY WHEN HE IS 36 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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I guess they would rather pay Hemsy the big bucks and he is no where near the player Smyth is. Sure Hemsky is all flashy but he will never carry a team on his back.

Hawks_G wrote:
$3 million more than Afinogenov
$1.5 million more than Alfredsson(Who had a 100 points last year.)
800K more than Martin Brodeur
$1 million more than Daniel Briere
$2 million more than Brind'Amour
$1.5 more than Demitra
$2 million more than Datsyuk
250K more than Forsberg
$1 million more than Jokinen

and I could go on through the whole alphabet.  He isn't a player that makes others better.  He is a gritty leader that goes in the tough areas and gets some tough goals.

Good to have but you can't build your team around this guy. 

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WILL BE GIVING HIM THAT SAME MONEY WHEN HE IS 36 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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All those players listed above have scored less goals than Ryan Smyth. He doesn't just get "some tough goals" he gets a lot of goals. He has over 30 goals this season, more than all those players quoted above, and worth more than an Afinogenov and Datsyuk!! But yeah, I tend to value the playoffs more than the regular season. Smyth is 6th in goals per game in the regualr season and can be counted on to show up to score clutch goals int he playoffs.

Worried about his play when he's 36 in the new NHL? There's no reason to think he'd be less valuable than a Brendan Shanahan, Ray Whitney, Mark Recchi or Slava Kozlov, oldies who are doing very well in the new NHL, though scoring less goals than Ryan.  Yes, oldies like Sakic and Sundin are more valuable int he regular season because they make other players around them better, but you expect that out of centres! Age alone is NOT a big factor, not with the way Smyth plays the game, as you know from watching him as we have. You might make the case that because he plays the game hard every night he might be at greater risk of injury with age, which is true, but then he'd go on IR and no problem, unless it beomes a chronic problem at the wrong time, but he hasn't shown himself to be prone to injury: strong constitution.

Do I think he's the $ 6 million dollar man? Can we rebuild around him? No. But it's close enough to pay him a bit of a premium. He's worth $4 million once you account for leadership, commitment, clutch scoring and playoff performance.

Detroit just gave 34-year-old Holmstrom a 3-year deal and it probably was for 3 million per, and Smyth is worth more than that.

Unfortunately, the Oilers are not in the Red Wings position. Edmonton is rebuilding as it does almost every year (except last year when they got Pronger and Peca).

If Lowe made a calculated decision based on relative value and diminishing returns and his breaking point was within a half million of Smyth's agent's demands, then he should have paid it.

The loss of heart in the dressing room and among fans is not worth the half million saved!!!!!!!!! Edmonton is a team built on speed and work ethic, entertaining to watch. That will change. Just look at how pathetic they played against Phoenix. They lost their heart. The rest of the year will be tough going. Lowe cannot expect 100% effort out a team that gave what they got every night, only to watch their g.m. pull the plug on the season, a mere 9 points out of the 8th spot in the west, with 20 games remaining. Playing hard full throttle until the last game of the season is what the organization and fans want and expect. Trading away the heart and soul and longtime leader to save a half million bucks or so is crap. Don't expect anyone who watches the Oilers to be happy with the move.