Lowe, Smyth both in the wrong

Terry Frei, in a column at ESPN.com on the NHL trade deadline, hits the nail on the head in analyzing the Ryan Smyth deal:

Q: What stinks worse than unwashed laundry at the end of a road trip to Prince George, Kamloops, Chilliwack and Kelowna?

A: Ryan Smyth's trade to the Islanders, and not only because 102-year-old Lilian Hosking, whose answered birthday wish when she turned 101 was to run her hand through Smyth's mullet, gave it a thumbs-down to the Edmonton Journal.

There is no crying in hockey, whether it is from a 102-year-old woman or a 31-year-old winger. The Oilers at least, theoretically, still are within striking distance of a playoff spot, but this was a white flag. So, following Mark Messier's night, there's not much use showing up at Rexall Place.

Plus, the two sides -- the Oilers and Smyth, in the person of his agent, Don Meehan -- were very close financially, but couldn't close a multiyear deal. In this new era, with the cap limiting the maximum a player can earn to 20 percent of the available payroll and with absolute individual ruthlessness making it tougher to build a winning cast around the highest-paid players, it's ridiculous that a compromise couldn't be reached. And that's a pox on both houses. GM Kevin Lowe reacted petulantly by trading Smyth.

Furthermore, Smyth's love for Edmonton rings hollow if he couldn't step in and tell Meehan: "OK, you've done a good job getting these numbers on the table, but now let's get it done." The hometown discount, which already had been an issue in previous Smyth contracts, doesn't even have to be a financial concession, but an acknowledgment that satisfaction is priceless.

And if Smyth gets over his disappointment and re-signs with the Oilers this offseason, it will raise the question of whether this was preordained and all this drama was an act. More likely, it was a case of Lowe calling Smyth/Meehan's bluff and putting the onus on them in the offseason ("How bad do you want to come back?").

Deadline deals

44 players were traded in 25 deals on Tuesday before the NHL trading deadline. The Flyers acquitted themselves nicely, gaining several draft picks, young players, and a guy who should be able to step in to be the number one netminder that has been missing for years.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I really like the moves the GM Paul Holmgren made in the past few weeks. He's had some duds to be sure -- Mike York, anyone? -- but in dealing Peter Forsberg, Alexei Zhitnik, and Kyle Calder he shed a significant amount of payroll while at the same time getting younger and quicker, especially on the blueline.

Given these developments, it's not entirely unreasonable to make the argument that Holmgren should be retained as the team's general manager. The only drawback that I can see is that in dealing Zhitnik, Holmgren guaranteed that Derian Hatcher will remain with the team as the only veteran defenseman (not counting Joni Pitkanen, but really -- is anyone?). And, while the Daily News' Ed Moran would disagree with me, I still say the team needs to cut its losses in regards to Hatcher.

**See below for some extra deadline day commentary and analysis:

• TSN -- Jay Onrait's TradeCentre Blog


• ESPN -- 2007 NHL trade deadline: News and analysis


• ESPN -- Eight simple truths from NHL deadline day

Hearting Lauren Hart

ESPN's EJ Hradek files an article today on ten things he likes about hockey:

Forsberg has left Philadelphia, but (thankfully) Lauren Hart is still there. The Flyers' terrific anthem singer has a great voice. I've been fortunate enough to see her sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" several times during my various ventures to Philly. She's something special. She's someone the Flyers should never trade!

EJ, I couldn't agree more. And not just about her singing, either. I've seen her in person and she's just stunningly beautiful.

Bettman here to stay

As reported last week by ESPN.com's Terry Blount, "people involved with the NHL" approached Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage "about joining the league and eventually replacing commissioner Gary Bettman . . . Bettman's contract expires after the 2007-08 season."

Canadian Press files an article today clearing up some misconceptions about Gary Bettman and his contract status.

"I've watched with fascination some of the newspaper reports having me going on sabbatical shortly," Bettman said prior to the Vancouver Canucks playing the Chicago Blackhawks. "That isn't the case, wasn't the case.

"I think people were somehow under the impression my contract had a year to run and got fixated on that. Those stories were, to say the least, inaccurate."

TSN's Bob McKenzie also checks in on the scrum and sets the facts straight on Bettman's contract status.

Bettman's contract does not expire at the end of next season. Or the one after that.

In fact, an NHL owner tells TSN that Bettman has another five full years left on his deal after this season.

The owners are apparently happy enough with his work that last fall they extended his deal to one year beyond the expiry of the current cba. that will take him through to the summer of 2012.

So it doesn't look as though Bettman will be leaving office any time soon.

This is essentially the same thing I said last week. Off Wing, meanwhile, posts about something buried deeper in the CP article -- a possible change in the points system for next season.

Home-ice advantage?

According to an ESPN.com survey of 141 current players, we Flyers fans are the most intimidating in the league. 24% of the players asked said that the Philadelphia Flyers have the most intimidating fans in the league.

I would have figured this as a no-brainer during the Broad Street Bullies days. Now, when it's all suits in luxury boxes and empty seats in the lower level, I'm not so sure.

The strangest answer on the question has to be that Columbus received 1% of the vote. Seriously -- Columbus? Who's afraid to play there?

Other questions asked include best natural scorer, best coach, toughest player, and dirtiest player.

Serena living large Down Under

Anyone who has watched the Australian Open these past two weeks has to be surprised by two things -- the size of Serena Williams and the incredible run she's on (she'll play Maria Sharapova in the final tomorrow). To the critics of Williams' seeming out-of-shape-ness (yeah, I know, that was awful grammar) and lack of competition, Peter Bodo says shut up and enjoy watching a champion work.

So it's about time that critics stopped whining about the quality of the competition, or the way the other women shatter like dropped crockery the minute Serena fixates on them with that disconcerting, hard stare. This isn't about the shortcomings of WTA pros. It's about the strength and will of Serena Williams. This clearly is a woman with a big appetite that isn't satisfied by mere food.

Keep in mind that Williams played in all of four tournaments last year while dealing with injuries. Her last tournament of the year was the US Open, where she lost in the fourth round.

After roughly four months off, to make a Grand Slam her second tournament back -- and to make it to the final to boot -- is just amazing. For a long time I was not a fan of Williams. The level of play and the drive to win that she has exhibited in the last two weeks has changed my mind.

For a preview of the final from ESPN analyst Mary Carillo, click here.