Ryan Smyth

About Ryan Smyth

Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth (born February 21, 1976, in Banff, Alberta) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays left wing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Smyth was selected 6th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, and he went on to play 12 seasons for the club he idolized as a child.

Smyth played 3 games for the Oilers in the 1994–95 season. 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 has the distinction of breaking two of Wayne Gretzky's Oilers records, scoring 20 goals on the power play in just his second full season, and scoring three goals in 2:01, breaking Gretzky's club record (2:18) for the fastest hat trick by an Oiler on October 12, 2006. It was Smyth's fifth career hat trick. Smyth was part of the Gold medal winning Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics. On August 14, 2003, Smyth managed to avoid arbitration with, and a possible trade from, the Oilers by signing a two-year contract.

Smyth was part of the 2005–06 Oiler team which advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. Smyth showed his persistence in the presence of injury during the second-round series against the San Jose Sharks. However, the Oilers lost in game 7 of the finals to the Carolina Hurricanes. Smyth had 7 goals and 9 assists in the 2006 Playoffs.