After four seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League from 1991 through 1995, ice hockey left winger Ryan Smyth split the 1995-1996 season between the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers (with home he had suited up for three games the previous year) and the American Hockey League’s affiliated Cape Breton Oilers. Thereafter he had a long, exclusive stint with Edmonton until he was traded to the NHL’s New York Islanders for eighteen games of the 2006-2007 season. He then had two years with the league’s Colorado Avalanche prior to being traded once again, this time to the Los Angeles Kings. He is more known, however, for his international endeavors and holds the record for the most games played with the Canadian men’s national ice hockey team, having made a total of 78 appearances. He had first experience with the squad at the 1995 World Junior Championships, where he brought home a gold medal, and then had a podium dry spell with Team Canada at the 1999, 2000, and 2001 World Championships. His luck began to improve at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he suited up for six matches and helped win Canada’s first gold medal in Olympic ice hockey in fifty years. Gold medals followed at the 2003 and 2004 World Championships but, after a silver medal at the 2005 edition, he came back empty handed from the 2006 Winter Olympics, where he played in six games. He captained the squad at the 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005 World Championships. His older brother Kevin was also an NHL player who spent 58 games with the Hartford Whalers.
Canada