January 23, 2024 by Mike Dirsa

A legend in Canadian International Hockey was born on February 21, 1976 in Banff Alberta. I am speaking of former Edmonton Oiler Ryan Smyth. Smyth wore number 94 for the year he graduated high school and the year he was drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers. Smyth was nicknamed “Smytty”, but he also earned the nickname “Captain Canada”.

The nickname “Captain Canada”, which came from Pierre LeBrun, was fitting because Smyth was known to always answer the call to don our nation’s jersey. Smyth went on an incredible run of seven consecutive IIHF World Championships from 1999 to 2005. In his last five appearances at the World Championships, Smyth appropriately had a “C” on his jersey. Smyth is the all-time leader in games played at the World Championships with 60. Smyth ranks tenth in scoring at the World Championships with 31 points.

Smyth jokingly was quoted as saying “[i]t means your team missed the playoffs each of those years” when speaking on going to eight straight World Championships. This speaks to the Oilers not being very competitive for a long time, but it also speaks volumes to Smyth’s dedication to his country and to being committed to getting better every year. It didn’t matter how much Smyth was hurting after a grueling 82 game season with the Oilers. He always was willing to go to the World Championships for Canada.

Smytty’s international resume also includes playing at the World Junior Championships that were held in Red Deer, Alberta in 1995. During the ’95 tournament, that Canadian team won all seven games in a round robin tournament that had no medal round.  Signs of “Captain Canada” were there back then as Smyth was quoted as saying “[t]he World Juniors are a kickoff to a lot of great memories and being around some great people in the game. You put the Maple Leaf on your chest and play for your country and meet guys from all over Canada. That’s the special part.”

In 2004, Smyth was a part of the World Cup of Hockey in which Canada was tested to the maximum in the semifinal game escaping with a 4-3 win against a very good team from Czechia. Canada went on to win gold with a 3-2 win over Finland.

“Captain Canada” also has experience playing in the oldest international hockey tournament there is, the Spengler Cup. The NHL was under lockout in 2012, so many NHLers including Smyth, Tyler Seguin and John Tavares played in the Spengler Cup. The Canadian team opened the tournament with an overtime loss, but went on to win three straight games and to win the Spengler Cup. I’m not sure I believe him, but Smyth said “[he] had to basically beg Hockey Canada to take [him] as there were a lot of players playing overseas during the lockout and [he] got to play with guys like Seguin and Patrice Bergeron. The fans, the atmosphere, it’s all of those things. And the rink is so unique. The fans get right into it, you’re in beautiful Davos, next to a great ski resort. It reminds [him] a lot of Banff.”

Smyth also wore a Team Canada jersey twice on the biggest international sporting stage there is at the Olympics. Smyth was selected to play for Canada in 2002 and 2006. The 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States and Smyth was asked if playing in the Olympics is better than playing in the NHL, and Smyth replied “[a]s a kid from Canada, you don’t think of playing in the Olympics much. At least I didn’t because it’s every four years, but it’s such a special event. I went to a few games in 1988 in Calgary; but when I was growing up, for me it was the NHL. But fast forward and now I’m in the NHL and you see they’re taking NHL players and, all of a sudden, your name is being thrown around and you think ‘that would be unreal’.”

Team Canada snapped a 50-year drought and brought home the gold medal with a 5-2 win over the host United States. Upon reflection on those Olympics, Smyth said “Other than the Lucky Loonie at centre ice, the big thing for me was that 5-2 loss to Sweden and the early games. The media was all over us.” Then the “Great One” Wayne Gretzky came out in the media to defend this team.” Smyth added “I remember the next night, Curtis Joseph said to me, “Smytty, no country is going to beat us the rest of the way.” “I was one of the young players, and every older veteran made you feel like a part of it, whether you weren’t getting a lot of ice time or were more of a role player. Everyone put egos aside and it was a team.”

The 2002 Canadian team was loaded with high end talent and was captained by Mario Lemieux and featured assistants Chris Pronger, Mike Peca, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic. Smyth was also a member of the 2006 Canadian team in Turin Italy. We won’t talk about Turin.

Smyth will be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame during the 2024 World Championship in Czechia this May. Smyth’s dedication to Team Canada is unmatched. He simply always answered when his country needed his services. For years in Edmonton, he was known as the heart and soul of the Oilers, and those World Championships teams year in and year out were no different. Congratulations Smytty! Just like you deserved the “Captain Canada” nickname, you also deserve the induction into the International Hockey Hall of Fame. Smyth along with Natalie Darwitz, Kenny Jonsson, Igor Liba, Petteri Nummelin, Jaroslav Pouzar and Jaromir Jagr will be remembered with the call to the hall. You’ve always been a beauty Smytty, and now the legend of what you’ve done for Hockey Canada will live on forever Mr. Captain Canada.