Topic: Ryan Smyth

Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth (born February 21, 1976) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays 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.

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 significant part of the 2005–06 Oiler team which advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. Throughout the playoffs, he was a consistent leader and was often referred to as the 'heart-and-soul' of the Edmonton Oilers. He showed this leadership in the second round of the 2006 playoffs, against the San Jose Sharks. After taking a puck in the face from a clearing attempt by then teammate Chris Pronger, and losing three teeth and needing nine stitches, Ryan Smyth returned in the third period of the game, helping Edmonton push the game to triple-overtime, and set up Shawn Horcoff's game winner. This win cut down San Jose's series lead to 2–1, and Edmonton ultimately won the next three games and moved on to the Western Conference Finals against the Anaheim Ducks, then known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Smyth helped lead his team past Anaheim, and onto the Stanley Cup Finals, 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.