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Contract talks between Smyth, Oilers at a stalemate

ryan smyth oilers

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports negotiations between the Edmonton Oilers and Ryan Smyth have hit a snag.

The issue, it appears, is not how long the Oilers want to sign Smyth for -- his agent, Don Meehan, says a two-year deal is on the table -- but rather how much money the Oilers want to spend.

“Nobody is saying what the Oilers are offering,” Matheson writes. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in the $2.5 million-$2.75 million range. Smyth could be looking for more than $3 million a year.”

Smyth’s in a precarious position. He’s made it known he wants to be in Edmonton (hence why he orchestrated his trade out of Los Angeles) and while he’s coming off a productive year, he’s 36 years old and struggled in the second half of the season.

It’s a very similar scenario to that of Colorado forward Milan Hejduk, who has a bunch in common with Smyth: age, career stats, etc.

Hejduk, it should be noted, recently re-upped with Colorado on a one-year deal worth $2 million (in 2011-12, he played on a one-year, $3 million deal.)