Kings Get All-Star Forward Smyth

Smyth, 33, has played in 920 career regular season NHL games with the Avalanche, New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers, and has recorded 660 points (310-350=660) and 733 penalty minutes. In 81 career playoff games, he has 52 points (25-27=52) and 82 penalty minutes.

Said Lombardi: “Ryan is the type of player who fits with our team. He fills an important need as he is a competitive, gritty scoring left winger, and he fits with the overall identity we continue to build here.”

Kings fans can meet Smyth for the first time and the rest of the Kings at LA Kings Hockey Fest ’09 to be held August 28-30 at LA Live.

This past season, Smyth’s 14th in the NHL, he tied for his team’s lead in points (59), was first in assists (33) and was second in goals (26) in 77 games. He also tied for the club lead in power play goals (10), short-handed goals (one), tied for first in game-winning goals (three) and he was first in shots (257).

The 2008-09 season was also the ninth time Smyth has scored at least 20 goals, and his 26 goals were his highest totals in that category since totaling 36 goals in both 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Originally selected by Edmonton in the first round (6th overall) of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Smyth made his NHL debut during the 1994-95 season. He totaled 51 games those first two seasons and in 1996-97, he scored 39 goals (which remains a career high) in his first full NHL season as he began to establish himself as one of the game’s top power forwards.

Smyth also that season tallied 20 power play goals, which not only tied for the NHL lead that season but equaled Wayne Gretzky’s team record. Smyth also played in his first 12 NHL playoff games in 1997 after playing in all 82 regular season games, something Smyth has accomplished three times during his career.

Smyth in 1997-98 co-led his team in power play goals (10); in 1998-99 he scored 31 goals; in 1999-00 he had a team high 28 goals and a team high 11 power play goals; in 2000-01 he led the team in goals (31) and power play goals (11) while finishing second on the team in scoring; in 2001-02 an ankle injury snapped a streak of 195 consecutive games played; in 2002-03 he paced the Oilers with 26 goals and 61 points; in 2003-04 he led the Oilers in goals, assists and points; in 2005-06 he led the Oilers in goals (36) while helping to lead Edmonton to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals (along with current Kings Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene).

In 2006-07, Smyth began the season with the Oilers and made his first All-Star team before being traded to the Islanders. Smyth finished his Oilers career ranked on that club’s all-time Top-10 list in the following categories: Games played (770), goals (265), assists (284), points (549), hat tricks (five), power play goals (117), game-winning goals (40) and game-tying goals (seven).

After the ’06-07 campaign – a campaign in which Smyth not only helped the Islanders qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2003 but he scored 36 goals and recorded 68 points, his second straight season with 36 goals and his fourth career 30-goal campaign – Smyth signed a five-year free agent contract with Colorado.

With his new team, Smyth in 2007-08 had 37 points in 55 games. Despite missing more than 20 games due to injury, Smyth finished third on the team in shots, and he also played in the post-season (eight games and five points) for the ninth time in his career.

The 6-1, 190-pound Smyth on Thursday was selected, along with Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, to participate in Canada’s prestigious National Men’s Team Orientation Camp which runs in August in Calgary.

Internationally, Smyth, who is from Banff, Alberta, has been an integral part of that program. He has represented Canada at the World Championships in seven consecutive seasons from 1999-05, winning gold in 2003 and 2004, and he served as Canada’s team captain for five of those seasons (2001-05). He also played for Canada at the 2002 and 2006 Olympics, capturing gold in 2002, and in the World Junior Championships in 1995.

Quincey, 23, played in 72 games with the Kings this season after being acquired from Detroit off waivers on October 13, 2008, and had 38 points (4-34=38) and 63 penalty minutes. He also this season played in six games with the Red Wings, where he recorded zero points and four penalty minutes. In 85 career regular season NHL games with the Kings and the Red Wings, Quincey has 39 points (5-34=39) and 67 penalty minutes.

Preissing, 30, played in 22 games with the Kings this season, his second with the club, and had seven points (3-4=7) and six penalty minutes. He also this season played in 14 games with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, where he recorded six points (2-4=6) and six penalty minutes. In 322 career regular season NHL games with the Kings, Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks, Preissing has 131 points (31-100=131) and 78 penalty minutes.