Ryan Smyth(notes) doesn’t think his career path will lead to coaching, not after being behind the Red bench Saturday as the junior team blew a three-goal lead in the Hockey Canada summer development camp scrimmage at Rexall Place.
But Smyth liked what he saw from possible Edmonton Oilers teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins(notes).
“First time I’ve seen him live and he’s a nifty little player,” Smyth said after the first overall pick in the NHL entry draft tied the wide-open scrimmage with three minutes to play and won it for the White team with 20 seconds left.
“Nice to see what he brings to the table. He’s patient with the puck. On the second goal he got, he pulled the puck back, shot it quickly and found the five-hole (on Quebec Remparts goalie Louis Dominique). You can’t teach that,” said Smyth.
Nugent-Hopkins’s first goal was a spin move on Dominique in traffic, catching everybody off-guard. Nugent-Hopkins had people leaning on him, but made the result look easy.
“Sometimes, you have to step out of the box and you have to do what it takes. He’s trying to make an impression for Team Canada and for the Edmonton fans and he did,” said Smyth, who could find himself on left wing with Nugent-Hopkins in training camp if the Oilers want to give the 18-year-old a sage hand who is almost twice as old (35) and can teach him lots of lessons.
“Gave me goosebumps when they were chanting his name at the end,” said White teammate Devante Smith-Pelly(notes), after Nugent-Hopkins came alive in the last three minutes to score twice.
Smyth was a guest coach Saturday on the Red bench with the Kelowna Rockets’ Ryan Huska while Ken Hitchcock, the former Columbus Blue Jackets coach, helped Belleville Bulls’ George Burnett on the White side.
Smyth got a huge hand as he was introduced before the game, the first time he’d been back in Rexall Place since he rejoined the Oilers this summer. Players on both sides tapped their sticks in appreciation, too, because Smyth won a gold medal in 1995 in the world junior championship when the tournament was held in Red Deer and Edmonton.
“Gave me chills. Nice to be on the ice with my little son, Alexander, who dropped the first puck and then stood beside his dad on the bench,” Smyth said.
“I’m really looking forward to Oct. 9 (the Oilers’ season-opener against Sidney Crosby(notes) and the Pittsburgh Penguins),” he continued. “I can’t wait. I’ve got the itch. I’ve been on skates a few times.
“When Team Canada asked if I’d come (Saturday), it was a no-brainer. Don Hay is coaching again and we reminisced about those good old times in ’95. Lots of great memories.
“I learned a great deal on that team,” Smyth said. “You can’t put into words how much the experience of playing in the world junior means down the line, sometimes adapting to a role you’re not used to in a two-week tournament, doing whatever it takes.”
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