From
where I sit it looks like the Oilers are losing a piece of their heart...
With
Ryan Smyth retiring Edmonton has lost it's last link to the 2006 Cup
Final. It's also lost a leader in the dressing room and on the ice.
At some point the Oilers need find a way to replace it, and not just
on the third line, but on the top line where Smyth spent a good chunk
of his time in Edmonton. For all the current crop can be exciting to
watch, when they feel like it, the battle intensity of players like
Smyth is severely lacking. This has also created a question over the
possibility of retiring Smyth's familiar 94. Quite frankly, I don't
see why not. Smyth has made a measurable difference both to the team
and the community. His statistics can't be over looked. On a team
famous for it's scoring prowess in the 1980s Smyth stands in the top
tier in every offensive category. Nor should his contributions to
Team Canada be cast aside. Gold at every major level. There are a
good number of fans who feel the honour of jersey retirement should
be reserved only for Cup champions. That's a noble goal to be
certain, but tragically unrealistic. The Oilers are a long way away
from even being a playoff contender, never mind a Cup winner. Get
off the high horse and come to grips with the fact that there will
never be another team like the old Oilers, but that doesn't mean the
accomplishments of the new Oilers should be cast aside.
At
least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.
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