I was 11. Or maybe 12.

The point is, I don’t remember.

What I do remember is that it was the night that changed everything. Well, not everything. I’m still a broke university student, but that’s beside the point. That night though, it changed a lot. It made a big impression on a kid my age. It still makes a big impression when I think about it.

But Ryan Smyth was the kind of guy that made a lasting impression.

It was the Skyreach Centre all those years ago, before there was a name change, or a lockout, or a Cup run I still can’t quite believe sometimes. It was also the same time when smoking was still the rage, and my father and uncle had left my little brother and I and our popcorn to go outside and have a smoke before the game. We had seats in the Gold section, something years later I wish I had fully enjoyed. At the time, I didn’t care.

What girl my age would care about a game where boys with sticks beat each other up and whacked around a little black thing?

It was almost the end of the warm-up when my brother decided he needed to use the washroom. And, of course, like any sibling he argued against my sisterly concern that he make it there and back unharmed and unkidnapped. In the end he went alone; again, I didn’t care.

The section was nearly empty, and looking back I can see how I must have stood out amongst the dozens of empty seats around me. The Oilers of that time were slowly filing off the ice until one remained. Obviously, you know it was.

He shot a few stray pucks into the net before picking up one, and I vividly remember how even then his hair stuck out from beneath his helmet. He looked around, and skated towards the boards nearest to me, and with a smile gave me a little wave. And I wasn’t too old to return it. The puck came flying over the glass at me, sloppily landing a little to my left as I scrambled to grab it. There was another wave, and that smile, and I think that’s forever how I’m going to remember him.

A lot has changed since that night; while it took me more years than I care to admit to understand hockey, and a few more to come to love it, today I don’t know how I could ever live without it. A lot of players have come and gone since that night all those years ago, but until a couple weeks ago, one always remained.

He made a big impression on a little kid- that a simple act could mean a lot.

And while Edmonton did beat Calgary that night, my highlight was, and will be always be Ryan Smyth.

No matter what jersey he may wear.