February 27, 200719 yr Per TSN Oilers trade forward Smyth to Islanders Ryan Smyth Ryan Smyth TSN.ca Staff 2/27/2007 3:40:59 PM Unable to reach a long-term deal with their heart-and-soul player, the Edmonton Oilers instead traded Ryan Smyth to the New York Islanders for prospects Ryan O'Marra and Robert Nilsson and the Islanders' first-round pick in 2007. The two-year, $7 million US contract Smyth signed in 2005 expires after this season, when he will be eligible for unrestricted free agency. It remains possible, therefore, that Smyth could re-sign with the Oilers in the summer ? assuming today's trade didn't sour his thoughts on the prospect of a return. And, of course, the Oilers would still have to meet his asking price. Smyth has been a cornerstone of the Oilers franchise since Edmonton selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 1994 draft. He has scored 265 goals in 770 career games with Edmonton, topping 20 goals eight times. Smyth is often dubbed Captain Canada because he has represented his country on the ice so many times at the world Championship tournament. He also won gold with Team Canada at the 2002 Olympics. That's a whole hell of a lot to give up for a rental, especially when the Isles will be lucky to get home ice for more than one playoff round (if that).
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