IIHF Hall Of Fame Induction 2024
Ryan SMYTH (CAN)
Player
Born Banff, Alberta, Canada, February 21, 1976
They called him “Captain Canada,” and for good reason. No one wore the captain’s letter for more games or more Men’s World Championships for Canada than Ryan Smyth, and no one played more WM games for Canada than Smyth. Additionally, he is the only player from any country to win gold at the Olympics, World Championships, World Junior Championships, Canada Cup/World Cup, and Spengler Cup. Where Smyth went, victory was sure to follow.
Smyth played his junior hockey in Moose Jaw in the WHL and was drafted a lofty 4th overall by Edmonton in 1994. He made his NHL debut midway through the following season, just a couple of weeks after helping Canada win gold at the World Juniors in nearby Red Deer, Alberta. The next year, he earned a spot on the Oilers, but it was really the following year that he started to make an impact as a power forward who could score from the tough areas around the net.
Smyth played his junior hockey in Moose Jaw in the WHL and was drafted a lofty 4th overall by Edmonton in 1994. He made his NHL debut midway through the following season, just a couple of weeks after helping Canada win gold at the World Juniors in nearby Red Deer, Alberta. The next year, he earned a spot on the Oilers, but it was really the following year that he started to make an impact as a power forward who could score from the tough areas around the net.
“Captain Canada” Ryan Smyth played in more games and Men’s Worlds than any compatriot.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Matthew Manor
In 1996-97, Smyth scored a career high 39 goals, his first of four 30-goal seasons with the Oilers over the first 12 years of his career. But for all the success Smyth had personally, the team struggled to make the playoffs, and when they did early elimination was usually the result. To the good, however, this freed Smyth to represent Canada on the international stage at the Men’s Worlds, an honour he accepted every time he was asked.
His first senior WM came in 1999, which proved to be the first of seven straight appearances. He wore the “C” for the first time in 2001, and in 2003-04 he led Canada to back-to-back gold medals at the Men’s Worlds. A year earlier, he had been named to Canada’s Olympic team for Salt Lake and was part of that historic roster that brought home gold for the first time since 1952. Later in 2004, after his second WM gold, he also played on Canada’s championship World Cup of Hockey team.
It was in 2006 that Smyth had his best playoffs with the Oilers, taking them to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals before losing to Carolina. A year later, he was traded to the New York Islanders. He also played for Colorado and Los Angeles before rejoining the Oilers for the last three seasons of his storied career.
Smyth’s last IIHF tournament for Canada came in 2010 in Germany, an event cut short by injury. Two years later, he captained Canada to victory at the Spengler Cup, in Davos, Switzerland. In all, Smyth was a winner whenever he played, but more than that was the pride he took in wearing the maple leaf. In that respect, he was a greater inspiration and role model than any goal or medal could have been.
His first senior WM came in 1999, which proved to be the first of seven straight appearances. He wore the “C” for the first time in 2001, and in 2003-04 he led Canada to back-to-back gold medals at the Men’s Worlds. A year earlier, he had been named to Canada’s Olympic team for Salt Lake and was part of that historic roster that brought home gold for the first time since 1952. Later in 2004, after his second WM gold, he also played on Canada’s championship World Cup of Hockey team.
It was in 2006 that Smyth had his best playoffs with the Oilers, taking them to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals before losing to Carolina. A year later, he was traded to the New York Islanders. He also played for Colorado and Los Angeles before rejoining the Oilers for the last three seasons of his storied career.
Smyth’s last IIHF tournament for Canada came in 2010 in Germany, an event cut short by injury. Two years later, he captained Canada to victory at the Spengler Cup, in Davos, Switzerland. In all, Smyth was a winner whenever he played, but more than that was the pride he took in wearing the maple leaf. In that respect, he was a greater inspiration and role model than any goal or medal could have been.
