slapshot™

The Edmonton Oilers and Ryan Smyth have avoided arbitration today by agreeing to a new two-year contract.


General Manager Kevin Lowe and assistant General Manager Scott Howson met with Smyth’s representatives just minutes before an arbitration hearing was to begin this morning in Toronto, and two and a half hours later, emerged with the new contract. Lowe says he is extremely pleased the two sides were spared going through the arbitration process, and he was particularly impressed with Smyth’s willingness to negotiate; “Smytty has been with the Oilers for his entire career, and we clearly wanted that relationship to continue. The trouble with the arbitration process is that it takes a team’s budget control out of its’ hands, and now with this compromise, Smytty can continue to be a vital component on our team.”


Smyth, the 27-year-old firebrand forward, will be entering his ninth full season when training camp opens next month. He says he couldn’t be happier; “I’m very happy with this deal, especially since we didn’t have to go through the arbitration process. I’ve been an Oilers fan since I was a kid, and there isn’t any other team I’d rather be with. I’m an Edmontonian through and through, and this is wonderful for my family and me.


For the first time in his career, Smyth led the team in scoring last season with 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points. He went on to captain Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Championship.

hockeykid11

This is great news!! We could not afford to lose him. Hemsky looked up to him and he was a gritty scorer, with lots of leadership skills. On the TSN website it says that he will make 3.45M this year and 3.55M next year. Seems better than the possible 4M a year! k:

telusduck

Smyth rocks, Go oil!

hockeyfanatic

Awesome news. The oilers really need to keep smyth on their team.

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