why did edmonton sign ales hemsky to a contract but not ryan smyth?

Question

ales hemsky is alright but ryan smyth is the heart and soul of that team. they only made it to the finals becuz of ryan.

Answer 1

Hemsky is good,younger,cheaper.
Smyth can be replaced,he is a good player and the fans love him,but is/was he really a franchise player?
Oilers still have some nice young talent.

Answer 2

I think Ales Hemsky should have gotten traded instead of Ryan Smyth because Ales Hemsky is an average player and losing him wouldn't cost Edmonton much unlike trading Ryan Smyth to the Islanders.

Answer 3

"they only made it to the finals becuz of ryan."

Roloson. Pronger. Peca. Smith. Pisani. Staios. Don't give all the credit to Ryan Smyth, he was instrumental in their Detroit and San Jose series, but everyone on the Oilers took them to the finals.

Anyways, Edmonton is a team that was playing with a salary cap long before the NHL introduced it. Right now they have a budget for next season set at roughly 39 million dollars (according to Rogers Sportnet / TSN hockey experts) which is below the salary cap. Why? Edmonton is a struggling hockey enviroment, they haven't achieved greatness since 1990 and the 90's were plagued with many 1st round playoff losses to Dallas. Many times in recent history the team has been in the 11th hour with last minute investors stepping up and keeping the team in Edmonton. They cannot compete with franchises like Toronto who have sold out every game for 30 years (30 MISERABLE years, minus 92/93 and 93/94.)

The loss of Smyth, who cannot be replaced, is catastrophic, the team basically lost it's heart. They need to maintain the assets they have. Hemsky is an up and coming young player you will see in hilight reels for years to come. If they can lock him up for the next few seasons at a decent rate they can explore free agency options (resigning Ryan Smyth maybe). Smyth is a player that deserves $5.5 million a year, he has the one thing no player can be taught - heart. Heart brings you to the stanley cup. That being said, Smyth could have taken less money, but it doesn't change the fact that Ryan Smyth deserves that much per season.

You also have to factor in that Ryan Smyth, 20 minutes before the deadline, tried to compromise. The Oilers offered $5.4 million a year and Smyth and his agent wouldn't budge on $5.5 million, so he suggested they pay him $5.5 and he buys a private box for $100000 per season. The Oilers refused, and sadly we all know how it ended.

Answer 4

They were trying to sign Smyth but both sides were too far apart and the team couldn't afford what Smyth wanted. This is the new NHL, the salary cap is forcing GM's to make tough and in this case unpopular decisions.

Answer 5

Dont get me incorrect, i like Smyth. he's great, and brings an excellent style of the intangibles. That being suggested he's in no way had extra then 70 factors in a season. he's a great chief, yet he won't make a collection an on the spot contender. i'm particularly suprised on the earnings. The Avs get a great participant, yet dont leap the gun yet, the Avs have some holes to fill yet.

Answer 6

smyth had a choice there was a 5.4m offer on the table, he played hardball and lost, i think agents , play a little part in players asking for more money, the more the player signs for the more the agent makes, but its okk cuz the oil has 5.4 m they can spend in the off season , and there are a lot better players they can get with that money

Answer 7

He was cheaper. The franchise is a joke. They give everyone away for nothing. Tell me who they got for the Great One??? How about Mess???? It doesn't ring a bell because they got a half eaten sandwhich and a bottle of yoo-hoo for both of them. I can't beleive that hockey can't survive in Canada...especially out west. I know the fans live and die by it(They sure as hell don't give a crap about the CFL)

Answer 8

Ego conflict.

Answer 9

Money, money, money Money!