Edmonton Gets Ryan Smyth; Future of the LA Kings

The Edmonton Oilers got Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as the first pick of the NHL Entry Draft, but another player is making his way back onto the team that he first started from.

The LA Kings dealt Smyth back to his old team in exchange for Colin Fraser and a seventh-round draft pick in next year's draft, allowing for the Oilers to possibly contend for a playoff spot again. This trade comes on the heels that Smyth wanted out of LA and be traded back to his old team because of family reasons.

The Kings acquired him from Colorado and had immediate success with the Kings, racking up 47 points in all 82 games of the regular season with them this past season. But that didn't affect his decision, as he felt family was the sole reason he wanted a trade out of LA and go back to Edmonton. I don't exactly applaud him for this, but I understand his reasoning behind wanting to be near his family.

Ryan Smyth is one of the great players in Oilers history and was one of the reasons that they were so successful in the first few years that he was with them. Unfortunately, since he left, the team has fallen down the Western Conference standings and landed in the worse spot of the entire league: dead last. But now that Smyth is back with the team, there should be no doubt that his presence, as well as Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and the return of Taylor Hall, should spark this team to do better next season. They might not be as good as Tampa became, but perhaps they'll get their chance for a playoff spot this time around.

The LA Kings got Colin Fraser and a draft pick, but the future already looks good for the Kings, considering the fact that they got Mike Richards, a huge scorer and a big factors in games when he was with the Flyers. But without Smyth, will the Kings continue to contend for a playoff spot and possibly a Pacific Division title?

I would say absolutely. Even if they lost Smyth, Richards is a better player than Smyth because of his work ethic and his abilities with the puck. He can skate and he can score almost all the time, something Smyth has troubled with most of his career, even though he is a great player as well. I would tell Kings fans not to lose sleep over it, because they already got the piece they need to fill the void left by Smyth. Fraser is a great player too and was part of the Stanley Cup winning team. He'll provide some of the offense the Kings are looking for.

I wouldn't expect the Kings to win the Cup, but it wouldn't surprise me if they do. They're starting to get the offense they need in order to compete in a tough Western Conference that includes San Jose, Detroit, and Vancouver. They'll have to work around these new offensive pieces, but I think they have a reasonable chance to actually make it to the Stanley Cup. I said they would last season, but never made it past San Jose.

The future looks bright for both the Edmonton Oilers and the LA Kings. Both teams are getting the pieces they need to make it work. Question is: Come the regular season, will it actually work? And can they both make to the playoffs or the Conference Finals? We'll have to wait and see, puckheads, but so far, it looks like both teams are heading in the right direction.



Oilers fans, get back into the Ryan Smyth fan-crazy attitude with this genuine one-of-a-kind Ryan Smyth autographed hockey card. Add a piece of old history and returning history to your collection. Get yours today.



Also for Oilers fans, get another historical hockey card with this 2006-07 Ryan Smyth prospect card. You'll want to have a piece of history with you when Ryan Smyth finally makes his return next season on the ice for the Oilers.