Smythe to the Flyers?

[jiminphilly]

On the NHL | Oilers' Smyth would be a good fit for the Flyers

By Tim Panaccio

Inquirer Columnist


Ryan Smythwants a three-year deal to remain with Edmonton.

The Flyers want to lose a center and gain a winger - and Michal Handzus figures to be the odd man out if the Flyers trade another center.

Such a deal would make sense.

General manager Bob Clarke has long coveted Smyth, who has yet to sign his one-year qualifying offer of $2.7 million. Handzus will earn $2.1 million this season and next.

Handzus' salary fits better into the Oilers' payroll scheme; the club is trying to lose salary since signing Chris Pronger to a five-year, $31.2 million contract and then adding Michael Peca, who will earn $3.9 million this season.

According to the Edmonton Journal, Smyth wants a deal that averages $4 million. He won't get that from Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, but he could get it from Clarke next year.

Either way, this deal makes sense for the Flyers, even though it means adding to the payroll, which stands at $37.1 million. The Flyers would pick up just $600,000 - if the team could persuade Smyth to take the one-year qualifier with a promise of a long-term deal.

It likely would take more than Handzus to complete the deal, but not a lot more.

"Ryan has spent his whole career there in the midst of the club downsizing," one NHL scout said. "Now they've done something in the off-season to actually help him out. It should be interesting to see how he handles that."

Smyth would give the Flyers an offensive push and much needed grit on the wing. It's no coincidence Smyth was on Team Canada's World Championship roster and likely will make the Olympic cut, as well. He's leadership material.

Plus, he would look good in orange and black.

I'd love to see it and it would cap perhaps the best free agency building of any club this year. Panachio usually has the nice inside on Flyers moves so he must have heard something..

[Cross Traffic]

Conn Smythe and his crooked son Stafford have been dead for years.

MA

[Shoalzie]

I don't know why Edmonton would want Handzus when they already have Peca.

[Cicatrix]

What kinda of Queer Eye for the Straight Hockey Guy column would say that he "would look good in ornage and black"?

I bet this Tim Panaccio dude is not allowed in the locker room post game.

[Joey Moss]

This is not going to happen.

I don't know where Tim Panaccio gets the idea that Edmonton"is trying to lose salary". Kevin Lowe has said that the Oilers payrole is going to be around $33 million this year and they are only at $28 with Smyth being the last signficant player left to sign.

Smyth and Lowe have both said that they have reached an agreement on a one year contract, but both parties would like to see something long term done.

[JD]

It would be a travesty for the league's best mullet to leave the city oft-referred-to as Mullet-town.

That said, JM is right. He's going nowhere. I don't even know why Lowe has allowed it to go this far.