Ryan Smyth Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth ( born February 21 , 1976 ) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey winger who played for the Edmonton Oilers , Los Angeles Kings , Colorado Avalanche and New York Islanders of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He was especially known for playing in the style of a power forward . During his junior career , Ryan Smyth spent three years with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) , scoring 105 points during the 1993 - 94 season . Smyth was then selected 6th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers . That years , he played only three games for the Oilers , as he stayed for the majority of the year in Moose Jaw . He spent 12 seasons with Edmonton before being traded to the New York Islanders in 2007 due to failed contract negotiations . Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the subsequent off - season , he signed a five - year contract with the Colorado Avalanche . After two seasons with the team , he was traded to the Kings in July 2009 . On June 26 , 2011 , he was re - acquired by the Edmonton Oilers . He retired at the end of the 2013 - 14 season Smyth has represented Canada in international competition on numerous occasions . He has won gold medals at the 1995 World Junior Championship , 2002 Winter Olympics , 2003 and 2004 World Championships , and 2004 World Cup . Having served as captain of Canada ' s World Championship team for a team record six years ( 2001 – 05 and 2010 ) , he has earned the nickname " Captain Canada " . Smyth is also Canada ' s all - time leader in games played at the tournament . Early life . Smyth was born in Banff , Alberta on February 21 , 1976 to Dixie and Jim Smyth . Jim runs a business out of Red Deer , Alberta called Line - X . Being an Alberta boy , Ryan Smyth grew up as a hockey fan and a fan of the Edmonton Oilers . When he was a pre - teen in 1987 , he was working at the Banff Springs Hotel , where Team Canada was training for the upcoming Canada Cup . Smyth was hit by a car in the parking lot which was being driven by the Edmonton Oilers ' Glenn Anderson . Although Smyth was hospitalized , he was still well enough to play with Anderson for the Oilers seven years later during the 1995 - 96 NHL season . Playing career . Moose Jaw Warriors ( 1991 – 95 ) . Smyth played in the junior ranks with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) . Beginning in 1991 – 92 , he debuted in two games with the team , recording no points . The following season , he notched 19 goals and 33 points over 64 games as a rookie . In 1993 – 94 , he improved to 50 goals and 105 points over 72 games , becoming a top NHL prospect . During the subsequent off - season , he was selected sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft . Following his selection , he returned to the WHL for one more season with Moose Jaw , recording 41 goals and 86 points over 50 games in 1994 – 95 . He helped the Warriors qualify for the playoffs for the first time in his tenure with the team and added 15 points over 10 post - season games . Edmonton Oilers ( 1994 – 2007 ) . During his final junior season , Smyth was briefly called up to the NHL by the Oilers . He made his debut on January 22 , 1995 , in an away game against the Los Angeles Kings . Playing in three games total , he did not record any points . The following season , he tallied his first goal , on November 24 , 1995 , against Trevor Kidd of the Calgary Flames while on the power play . He went on to record 2 goals and 11 points over 48 games as a rookie , while also spending time in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) with the Oilers ' minor league affiliate , the Cape Breton Oilers . He recorded 11 points over 9 AHL games in 1995 – 96 . Smyth spent the entire 1996 – 97 season with the Oilers and improved to 39 goals ( a career - high ) and 61 points over 82 games . With 20 power play goals , he tied Wayne Gretzky ' s team record , set in 1983 – 84 . In the 1997 playoffs , he added 10 points in 12 games . Despite a strong second NHL season , he struggled in the next two campaigns with 33 - and 31 - point efforts . In 1999 – 2000 , he returned to form with a 28 - goal , 54 - point year . The following season , he recorded a career - high 39 assists and 70 points , ranking second in team scoring to team captain and first - line centre Doug Weight . As Weight was traded in the off - season to the St . Louis Blues , Smyth took on a larger role as offensive leader on the team . For the remainder of his tenure with the Oilers , he remained in the 50 – 60 point range . During the 2001 – 02 season , he ranked third in team scoring with 15 goals and 50 points to Mike Comrie and Anson Carter ' s 60 points , despite playing in 21 games less than them due to injury . The following season , he appeared in 66 games and increased his offensive totals to 27 goals and 61 points . It marked the first time in his career that he led the Oilers in scoring , edging Todd Marchant by one point . During the off - season , Smyth filed for salary arbitration after initially failing to come to terms on a new contract with the Oilers . On August 14 , 2003 , both sides avoided arbitration by signing a two - year contract . Playing a full 82 games in 2003 – 04 , Smyth tallied 59 points ( 23 goals and 36 assists ) to lead the Oilers in scoring for the second straight year . Due to the 2004 – 05 NHL lockout , Smyth spent the season inactive . As NHL play resumed the next year , he approached career - high totals with 36 goals and 66 points . With several young players emerging on the team ' s roster , Smyth ranked fourth in team scoring , behind Ales Hemsky , Shawn Horcoff and Jarret Stoll . His 19 power play goals came within one of the team record he previously set in his second year with the Oilers . Although Edmonton entered the 2006 playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference , Smyth helped the team on a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with 16 points in 24 post - season games . During the second round against the San Jose Sharks , he was hit in the mouth with a puck as a result of a clearing attempt from defensive teammate Chris Pronger . After losing three teeth and needing stitches , Smyth returned in the third period and went on to set up Shawn Horcoff ' s game - winning goal in triple - overtime . The win reduced San Jose ' s series lead to 2 – 1 , helping the Oilers eventually advance to the Conference Finals in six games . After eliminating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the third round , the Oilers were defeated in seven games by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Finals . Early the following season , during a game against the Sharks on October 12 , 2006 , Smyth broke an Oilers record for fastest three goals scored in one contest . With the Sharks leading 4 – 2 in the third period , he recorded a hat trick with two goals on the power play and one into an empty net in a span of two minutes and one second , breaking the previous team record set by Gretzky on February 18 , 1981 , by seventeen seconds . It was Smyth ' s fifth career hat trick . Edmonton went on to win the game 6 – 4 . In the final year of his contract , Smyth was enjoying one of the most productive seasons of his career . As a result , he was chosen to his first NHL All - Star Game in 2007 . With the Oilers unable to extend his contract prior to the NHL trade deadline , however , Smyth was dealt away to the New York Islanders in exchange for prospects Robert Nilsson and Ryan O ' Marra , as well as a first - round selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft . It was reported that Smyth was asking for a long - term deal worth at least $ 5 million a season to remain in Edmonton . The move was made to ensure the team did not lose Smyth for nothing , as he became an unrestricted free agent in the off - season . At the time of the trade , he was scoring at a point - per - game pace with 31 goals and 22 assists over 53 points . Despite playing the remainder of the season with the Islanders , he finished tied for the Oilers lead in point - scoring that year ; Petr Sykora had 53 points in a full 82 games . Prior to boarding a flight for New York with his family , Smyth tearfully addressed the media at Edmonton International Airport , thanking the Oilers for his time with the organization and expressing regret for having to be traded . He stated he was going to win the Stanley Cup with the Islanders and bring it to Edmonton . Leaving the Oilers after 12 seasons and he ranked seventh on the team ' s all - time list for points scored with 549 over 770 games . New York Islanders ( 2007 ) . Smyth debuted with the Islanders on March 1 , 2007 , during a game against the St . Louis Blues . He notched his first point as an Islander with an assist on Mike Sillinger ' s first period power play goal ; New York lost the game 3 – 2 in overtime . Two days later , he recorded his first goal as an Islander in a 6 – 2 win against the Washington Capitals . Playing in 18 games with the Islanders to close out the 2006 – 07 season , Smyth posted 15 points ( 5 goals and 10 assists ) . Combined with his stats from Edmonton , he finished with 36 goals and 68 points , the second - highest totals of his career . Smyth ' s efforts helped the Islanders beat out the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens for the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2007 playoffs . Playing the first - seeded Buffalo Sabres in the opening round , the Islanders were defeated in five games . Smyth recorded one goal and three assists during the series . Colorado Avalanche ( 2007 – 09 ) . Becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1 , 2007 , Smyth signed a five - year , $ 31 . 2 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche . After debuting with the Avalanche on October 3 , 2007 , in a 4 – 3 win against the Dallas Stars , he scored his first goal with his new team four days later . Beating goaltender Evgeni Nabokov short handed during the third period , he helped Colorado to a 6 – 2 win . Playing on the first line , Smyth found early chemistry with centre and team captain Joe Sakic . The duo was interrupted , however , as both players were sidelined with injuries for large portions of the season – Smyth ' s included neck , ankle and head ailments . Limited to 55 games , he recorded 14 goals and 37 points , the lowest totals of his career since the 1998 – 99 season . During the 2008 playoffs , Smyth helped Colorado advance past the Minnesota Wild in the first round . They were , however , swept the following round by the Detroit Red Wings , who went on to win the Stanley Cup that year . Smyth missed the last two games of the playoffs with a foot injury , finishing with 2 goals and 5 points over 8 games . Smyth bounced back from an injury - filled first year with the Avalanche by remaining healthy for the majority of the 2008 – 09 season . During the campaign , Smyth and Hejduk scored their respective 300th career goals on January 18 , 2009 , against the Calgary Flames in a 6 – 2 victory at the Pepsi Center . He went on to record 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points over 77 games , before fracturing his right hand on April 1 , 2009 , in a 3 – 0 home loss against the Phoenix Coyotes , ending his season five games early . He tied for the team lead in point - scoring with winger Milan Hejduk , who played in five more games than Smyth . Dealing with long - term injuries to both Paul Stastny and captain Joe Sakic , the Avalanche struggled as a team and finished last in the Western Conference . Los Angeles Kings ( 2009 – 2011 ) . With the Avalanche in the midst of a rebuilding process , Smyth was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on July 3 , 2009 , in exchange for Kyle Quincey , Tom Preissing and a fifth - round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft . During his Kings debut on October 3 , 2009 , he assisted on the team ' s first goal of the season by Anze Kopitar . The Kings lost the game 6 – 3 to the Phoenix Coyotes . His first goal as a Kings came five days later , scoring against Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding in a 6 – 3 win . Playing regularly on a line with Jarret Stoll and Dustin Brown , he recorded 22 goals and 53 points over 67 games , ranking fourth in team scoring . Joining a team on a markedly different trajectory than Colorado , the Kings were an improving club . Smyth ' s efforts helped them qualify for the playoffs for the first time since eight years . Playing the third - seeded Vancouver Canucks in the first round , they were defeated in six games . A month into the 2010 – 11 season , Smyth played his 1 , 000th career NHL game on November 6 , 2010 . His teammates acknowledged the accomplishment by wearing mullet wigs during their morning skate , alluding to Smyth ' s distinctive hair style . The Kings won the game 4 – 1 over the Nashville Predators with Smyth scoring a goal in the second period . Playing in a full 82 games , Smyth finished the season with 23 goals and 47 points . The Kings qualified for the playoffs with the seventh seed and were eliminated in the first round by the San Jose Sharks . During the off - season , it was reported that Smyth had informed Kings management he would prefer to play the last year of his contract with the Oilers . Return to the Oilers and retirement ( 2011 - 2014 ) . On June 24 , 2011 , the day of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft , it was reported that the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings had come to an agreement that Smyth would go to Edmonton in return for Gilbert Brulé and a 4th round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft . Upon salary cap and injury concerns with Brule , the trade never went through , due to the Kings planning to buy out Brule ' s contract , however , the NHL prohibits team from buying out injured players . Smyth wanted to leave the Los Angeles Kings to the Edmonton Oilers because he wanted to end his career where he started his career . On June 26 , 2011 , the Kings officially traded Smyth back to Edmonton for Colin Fraser and a 7th round draft pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft . In 2011 - 12 , his first season back with the Oilers , Smyth was the only Oiler to play all 82 games , and was fifth in scoring with 46 points . On February 27 , 2012 , he recorded his 800th career point , an assist , against the Winnipeg Jets . On January 26 , 2014 , Smyth tied Wayne Gretzky for number two on the Oilers all - time power play goal - scoring list in a 5 – 1 win over the Nashville Predators . On March 6 , he overtook Gretzky and tied Glenn Anderson for the most power - play goals in franchise history with 126 . With the Oilers out of playoff position towards the conclusion of the 2013 - 14 season , on April 11 , Smyth announced his retirement after 19 seasons from the National Hockey League aged 38 . He served as the team captain in his final game and also received the game ' s first star honours . International play . Smyth debuted with Hockey Canada with the country ' s under - 20 team at the 1995 World Junior Championships in Red Deer , Alberta . He recorded two goals and seven points as Canada went undefeated in seven games to win the gold medal . Four years later , Smyth was chosen to the Canada ' s men ' s team for the 1999 IIHF World Championship in Norway . As a result of the Oilers ' short playoff seasons ( the team made the second round twice and Finals once in his 12 - year tenure ) , Smyth was a mainstay on Canada ' s World Championship roster ( the international tournament conflicted with the NHL ' s playoff schedule ) . The 1999 tournament marked the first of seven consecutive appearances for Smyth . He recorded two assists over nine games as Canada finished in fourth place , losing the bronze medal game to Sweden . The following year in Russia , Smyth improved to an international career - high three goals and nine points over nine games . Canada finished fourth for the second consecutive year as they lost the bronze medal game to Finland . In preparation for the 2001 IIHF World Championship in Germany , Smyth was named team captain for Canada ; it marked the first of five years he served in that role , earning him the nickname " Captain Canada " . Smyth recorded two goals and five points over seven games , but Canada faced an early exit as they were eliminated by the United States in the quarterfinal . In December 2001 , Smyth was selected to Canada ' s team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , Utah . It marked the first time he was selected to a national team when all NHL players were available ( the league temporarily suspended play during the 2001 – 02 season to allow their players to participate ) . Smyth contributed one assist in six games , helping Canada win their first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey since 1952 . It was also Smyth ' s first gold medal at the men ' s level . Later that year , he made his fourth consecutive appearance at the World Championship in Sweden . Canada was once again elimianted in the quarterfinal , this time to Slovakia . Smyth had four goals and no assists over seven games . After four years without a medal in World Championship competition , Smyth captained Canada to gold at the 2003 IIHF World Championship in Finland . He recorded two goals and four points over nine games , en route to a 3 – 2 win over Sweden in the final . Canada defended their gold medal the following year in the Czech Republic . In a rematch of the prevoius year ' s final , Canada beat Sweden 5 – 3 . In nine tournament games , Smyth contributed two goals and four points . In September 2004 , the NHL and NHL Players Association held the first World Cup of Hockey in eight years . Held outside of the NHL schedule ( although league play was suspended for the 2004 – 05 season due to a lockout ) , all players were eligible to participate . Smyth was named to the national team and contributed three goals and an assist over six games . Canada won the World Cup title with a win over Finland in the final . The following year , all NHL players were again available for international competition at the 2005 IIHF World Championship in Austria ] , due to the ongoing lockout . It marked the first time that this was the case in tournament history . Smyth retained his captaincy and helped Canada to the gold medal game for the third straight year . Facing the Czech Republic , they were shutout 3 – 0 , earning the silver medal . In December 2005 , he was named to Canada ' s Olympic team for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin , Italy . Canada failed to defend their gold medal from 2002 , however , and were eliminated in the quarterfinal by Russia . Smyth was held to one assist in six games . The tournament marked Smyth ' s last appearance for Canada until the 2010 IIHF World Championship in Germany , where he was named team captain for the sixth time , a Canadian record at the tournament . Early on in the tournament , he suffered an ankle injury during practice and was kept from the remainder of the competition . Canada lost the quarterfinal to Russia that year . Playing style . Smyth plays in the style of a power forward , depending largely on his size and strength to contribute offensively . By positioning himself in front of the net , he earns most of his goals by tipping pucks in past the goaltender or scoring on rebounds . Relying heavily on force and determination , he does not possess particularly good shooting skills . He has been known to use a two - piece stick ( composite shaft with wooden blade ) with a flat blade , both of which are trends which have largely gone out of date during or before Smyth ' s career . As a result , his success is predicated less on skill , but force and determination . When the Oilers drafted him out of junior , it was said that general manager Glen Sather was looking for someone with " lots of guts " . Smyth is also known as a leader , having served as captain for Canada ' s World Championship teams on six occasions , as well as an alternate captain on all of the teams he has played with in the NHL . Personal . Smyth and his wife Stacey have two daughters , Isabella May ( born 2003 ) and Elizabeth Ann ( born April 4 , 2005 ) and one son , Alexander ( born June 26 , 2008 ) . Older brother Kevin Smyth played 58 games in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers .