Some may agree but trading Smyth in my opinion is a dunb move. Smyth is a player whom u can build a franchise around, instead edmonton deals him for peanuts. WTF is wrong with kevin Lowe?? I mean u want to keep your fan base but you trade Smyth, pronger wasnt totally your fault but hes gone too, Peca is out of there, who's next? Might as well send roloson packing while your at it. Sorry for the rant but i dont like this deal, im not even a edmonton fan so I can imagine how they feel.
Yeah that really was the shocker of the trade deadline yesterday. I think everyone thought that Edmonton and Smyth would get a deal done. So I was shocked to see him shipped out. Being a Panther fan I'm still pretty ticked off that Keenan who was GM at the time didn't want to keep Luongo here and we basically only got Bryan Allen for him. Bertuzzi played a total of 7 games for us and Goalie Alex Auld is injured and done for the rest of the season requiring surgery. I'm so embarrassed to be a Panther fan right now. We have ownership who doesn't know anything about the sport and all he cares about is his other ventures with the Arena the Panthers play in and the money he's making off of that. No one shows up for the games and when they do, more than half is cheering on the opponent.Originally Posted by Maverik2000
Sean E.
'02 DSG HD ( Gone but will always have a special place in my heart...)
I know some said that he might have left anyway after the season but in my opinion I think hes worth 5million, some may say thats alot for smyth but u have to remember he is a leader in so many ways.
Blair, chime in on this as I know your a oiler fan and live real close to rexall, whats the mood in oil country??
Everyone is upset. its all every radio station has been talking about for the past 2 days.
It came as a shocker and not getting anything to help our chase for a playoff spot dosnt help any.
WTF is wrong with Lowe that he would leave the "heart and soul" of the team - the player that most fans ( and non fans) identify as the face of the Oilers - to negotiate at the last minute?
Not a great move... but they did the same with McTavish last year. They didn't want to negotiate until after the season was over. Thinking they copuld sign him for peanuts or send him packing - instead the Oil make it to the finals and the organization had to pay out big bucks to keep him.
Sure both sides were posturing a bit hoping that the other side would "give in", but this was the dumbest morale move since Messier left. Smyth's emotional departure makes me that much more upset at both sides - but mostly at Lowe.
Many on Oil Country are upset because the new NHL was to help prevent some of the talent sell-off that we've witnessed in the past (the Pronger deal doesn't count because that was a personal matter).
I think most around here want Lowe to lose his job over this.
The only consolation is that while Smyth had to watch the Messier ceremony on TV that Lowe had to watch McTavish deliver what was Lowe's speech while hiding in the pressbox. Small consolation, but consulation still.
Yeah, I know, sport is business blah, blah, blah. But sport is also emotion, dedication, and spirit and we've lost most of what we had left yesterday.
Broke my heart to see smyth break down tonite on the news, he really loves edmonton and it makes me wonder why they couldnt meet in the middle for a new contract. Well we will see what happens, I heard on TSN that they might want to reaquire him after the season? I dont understand if that was the case cause why rent out one of your players. If they go after him at seasons end then they should have just made him a good offer now and get him signed. I wasnt old enough to remeber the whole messier thing or gretzky but I wont forget this and can only imagine what it was like when the other players left.
No player is untouchable and that was determined when Gretzky was traded to the Kings. I'll never forget the day that shook the NHL world. Peter Pocklington was the owner of the Oilers at the time and was having financial problems. The owner of the Kings, Bruce McNall waived some money in front of him and the deal was done. I think in this day and age of sports, loyalty is a very rare thing. Who knows what will happen at season's end. They may try to get him back as a FA but like Maverik2000 said why not just get the deal done now? You know the players are professionals but it's got to affect their play, Case in point the 3-0 loss to the Coyotes that night.
Now it looks like it came down to Lowe offering $27M over 5 years and Smyth's side wanting $27.5M .
I know $500,000 is a lot of money - but not when there's a $27,000,000 pile sitting next to it.
We all should be so unfortunate.
CHEEP OILER"S spent all there money on fringe players then play hard ball with the hart and soul of the team.
Yep.CHEEP OILER"S spent all there money on fringe players then play hard ball with the hart and soul of the team.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote