there's no guarantee that PRV will even make this team next year....Eager could still be traded, he didn't have a great season....and there's no guarantee that Harti will be on the opening day roster either, these 3 are hardly locks for LW...by hook or by crook, the Oilers will resign Smyth me thinks.
I can understand the Eager hate but lets give the guy an off season to fully get his head clear and see if he can turn it around next season. Count me in as a glass have full guy that thinks he showed some glimpses of being the crust we needed in the bottom 6 when he was signed.
I heard a quote from him when asked about a contract extension and if he'd sign a one year contract that he'd like the security of a longer term deal.
For me that's a deal breaker. How much more secure does he need to be after the money he's made for the last @ 15 years in the league?
If he wants to stay here he has to take deals that make sense for the team and set an example for the kids that to become a team everyone may have to take a little bit less to make a greater whole.
I'd love to have him here but it has to make sense for the team and if he really wants to be here he has to show that he's willing to take less to help the team succeed. Tell him he can have a full no move clause, he controls his destiny, but they can only give out 1 year contracts and they'll keep giving him one as long as he wants to keep playing. Management has to show that they understand the CBA and the downside of signing longer term contracts to older players.
Absolutely, the team needs some grit and leadership. Regardless if he has slowed with age, or was simply overused by Renney this year, he can fill a role on the 3rd line for 1 more year or perhaps 2.
Offer him a 2 year contract at sub $2 million. If he isn't interested then goodbye.
I was all for resigning Hemsky too, but at $5 million per we definately overpaid ... not Khabi overpay, but overpay nonetheless. This organization has got to stop giving money away when it's not warranted, Khabi, Horcoff etc. .... this will come back to haunt us when it's time to resign Hall, Eberle etc.
Sign to a 2 year deal.
2.25 and 2.0 nice cap hit
Trade him next year at deadline to some team on the bubble.
Get back someone to fill in gaps. Maybe a defenseman.
Lots of teams will overpay, and want a guy like him going down the stretch. With his leadership skills, heart etc.
At this point I don't think Smyth has a full season in him. If I were Tambo, I would see if he had any interest in being with his family for the first couple of months of the season and then sign after x-mas. If he only plays 40-50 games I think he can be a very useful top 9 player over that stretch. If he plays 80 games he becomes far less useful as the season goes along. He may even be able to extend his career by a season or two if he started to play partial seasons.
If he doesn't want to do that, then I'd suggest the Sakic/Lidstrom retirement plan of consecutive 1y deals. But we'd have to keep him on the 3rd and 4th lines. If he is 5th on our team in minutes played again, we'll be cursing Smyth's name come this time next year. If he plays a full season, 15-16 minutes a night seems about right.
But if he's looking for long term deal or significant dollars, I have no problem walking away either. Love Smyth for all he did here, but nostalgia only goes so far.
lets see what prv gets with 18-20 minutes, 20-40 games with rnh/eberle, and PP time every night.
lets see what smyth gets in 40 games with belanger, and some time in the AHL, and no PP time.
Smyth would put up more points IMO playing with Belanger then Paajarvi would with RNH and Eberle. Paajarvi could have had that spot this year but never took it from Smyth who is a frail Old man playing on one leg the way some posters are talking. Smyth knows that to get goals you have to go to the net and look for the rebounds, PRV for some reason still thinks the secret is to shoot it off the side boards, and wait there for a long rebound. The kid needs to learn to play NA style hockey which is to get to the crease, keep your stick in the ice, and wait for a pass that will come. Once he figures that out he'll be golden, but it seems he's having a hard time with it and I highly doubt he's ready for top 6 minutes next year.
lets see what prv gets with 18-20 minutes, 20-40 games with rnh/eberle, and PP time every night.
lets see what smyth gets in 40 games with belanger, and some time in the AHL, and no PP time.
^^^^This, well said. As soon as I had heard the Smyth signing, I knew PRV was going to be in for a long season. It just didn't make sense to me. Why bring in an aging, slow, past his prime player, to take away playing time from a potential furture prospect?
Too old.
Too slow.
Too useless.
Too much of a problem.
Move on.....
i have to scratch my head at the thought of resigning him too. after watching him live, i'm actually suprised that he isn't contemplating retirement. don't know how much coaching plays into this, considering he never sees the front of the net anymore. he sure has the dump and quit play figured out though. he was the biggest non factor in that game, and it was the worst game i had ever seen live. after playing every game of his career like it was a playoff game, i gotta believe that it has finally taken its toll. i only hope he can leave us while we still remember smyth the warrior, not smyth the useless clock managing plug.
i have to scratch my head at the thought of resigning him too. after watching him live, i'm actually suprised that he isn't contemplating retirement. don't know how much coaching plays into this, considering he never sees the front of the net anymore. he sure has the dump and quit play figured out though. he was the biggest non factor in that game, and it was the worst game i had ever seen live. after playing every game of his career like it was a playoff game, i gotta believe that it has finally taken its toll. i only hope he can leave us while we still remember smyth the warrior, not smyth the useless clock managing plug.
Sign to a 2 year deal.
2.25 and 2.0 nice cap hit
Trade him next year at deadline to some team on the bubble.
Get back someone to fill in gaps. Maybe a defenseman.
Lots of teams will overpay, and want a guy like him going down the stretch. With his leadership skills, heart etc.
i agree but he wont get traded he retiring there
he better then belanger and eager who they should get rid of and kids should play there spots.
notice how belanger does the little lurch away poke at the puck move at any sign of possible contact along the boards? at least smytty takes a hit to make a play, even if he flubs it......
He has shown this year that he doesn`t have what it takes anymore. It's time we went in a different direction, and that includes letting Smyth retire before his game deteriorates even further. I'd offer him a position coaching or scouting though.
^^^^This, well said. As soon as I had heard the Smyth signing, I knew PRV was going to be in for a long season. It just didn't make sense to me. Why bring in an aging, slow, past his prime player, to take away playing time from a potential furture prospect?
