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EDMONTON -- Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Smyth is calling it a career after tipping in shots and absorbing spine-jarring jolts standing in front of goalies for 18 NHL seasons. Smyth said Friday his body was still willing, but with his young children getting older, his mind was wandering. "The mental side of the game, I didnt have it at times," Smyth told a news conference at Rexall Place, with his family on hand. "Ive got a wonderful family that I miss out on a lot of their stuff. That (became) a factor. "There comes a time in my life where you have to turn the page." The 38-year-old known for his famous mullet was also a stalwart on Team Canada. He was drafted sixth overall by Edmonton in 1994 and spent most of his 18-season career in Albertas capital. He mixed grit with a scoring touch and became the face of the post-Wayne Gretzky Oilers, leading the team to a Stanley Cup final appearance in 2006. Smyth thanked everyone from former teammates to the Oilers massage therapist in a speech that saw the scrappy forward fight back tears. Sitting beside him at the news conference was Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish. "There are many players that have worn the Edmonton Oilers jersey, but there are no players who wore the jersey that had more passion than Ryan Smyth," MacTavish said. Smyth has 386 goals and 456 assists and 974 penalty minutes in 1,269 games heading into Edmontons Saturday season finale against the visiting Vancouver Canucks. He added 59 points (28-31) and 88 penalty minutes in 93 career playoff games. He also earned the nickname "Captain Canada" for his loyalty to Canadas mens national team. The team is preparing a tribute to the Banff, Alta., native during Saturdays game. Asked what hell miss the most about the game, Smyth said the it will be the journey itself. "Being on the ice surface, the adrenalin, the excitement, obviously your teammates," he said. "Ill for sure miss the guys." What was the highlight, he was asked. "Probably playing a thousand games and coming back and being an Edmonton Oiler." Teammates said he will be remembered as a blue-collar workhorse who made his living with a big stick in front of the net, deflecting and tipping in point shots and passes while taking a hellacious beating. Oilers winger David Perron said he grew up idolizing Smyth. "He was always around the net being greasy and scoring goals that everyone was like, How did that go in? Oh, Ryan Smyth scored again. At the end of the year hed have 30-40 goals," said Perron after practice Friday. Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens said Smyths trademark goals come from a mix of skill and guts. "Hes always in position but never stops the puck, and it makes it really difficult to see pucks because no matter which way you look it seems like hes there," said Scrivens. "Its a talent he acquired through hard work and just sacrificing his body." Smyth played at least 40 games as an Oiler in 14 of his 18 seasons. He blossomed in his first full season with the team in 1996-97, when he had 61 points (39 goals and 22 assists) in 82 games. Smyth was a steady force up front in Edmonton early in his career. The six-foot-two 191-pounder played a key role in the Oilers 2006 Stanley Cup run. Smyth had 16 points (7-9) in 24 games that post-season as the Oilers dropped a seven-game series to the Carolina Hurricanes. He was shipped to the New York Islanders at the trade deadline during the 2006-07 season. Long-term contract negotiations between Smyths agent, Don Meehan, and Oilers then general manager Kevin Lowe went to the 11th hour but the two sides couldnt reach a deal. With Smyth due to become a free agent that summer, Lowe didnt want to risk losing him for nothing in the off-season. Smyth said goodbye to Edmonton during an emotional news conference at the city airport. He played two seasons with Colorado and two more with Los Angeles before he asked Kings GM Dean Lombardi for a trade in 2011. A deal was finalized in June of that year. He has provided some veteran leadership on a young Oilers squad over his last three seasons. Saturday will be Smyths last chance to set a team record for power-play goals. Smyth and Glenn Anderson have 126 each, one ahead of Gretzky. Internationally, Smyth played at two Winter Games, helping Canada win gold at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002. Smyth also won gold at the World Cup of Hockey in 2004 and represented Canada at seven straight world hockey championship during his prime. Marco Scandella Jersey . On July 27 cyclings best-known race will host "La Course by Le Tour de France" -- a one-day womens competition staged hours before Tour riders race on the same circuit to finish the three-week event on Paris Champs-Elysees. Rasmus Ristolainen Jersey . 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Costa showed no effects of the news that his Brazilian citizenship may be revoked after he elected to play for Spains national team, as the forward was a constant threat for Atletico and forced several saves from goalkeeper Roberto.Ian Holloways managerial career has been defined by his success in the play-offs. Hes been through five play-off campaigns as a manager, achieving promotions to the Premier League with Blackpool (2010) and Crystal Palace (2013) while also suffering final defeats with Blackpool (2012) and Queens Park Rangers (2003).He has been there, done it, experienced highs and suffered great heartbreak - so, whats the key component for reigning supreme in this dramatic format? Ahead of a weekend of Football League play-off final action, all of which you can watch live on Sky Sports, we asked him for a his five-step guide to winning at Wembley.... Holloway secured promotion via Wembley again in 2013, when his Crystal Palace side beat Watford in 2013 This is the pinnacle of the whole season. Every mile every supporter has travelled will be worth it when their team steps out onto the Wembley pitch.The play-off final embodies what football is all about and why its such a monumental part of my life. Ive lived through the ups and downs of probably about 1,000 lives. We all have to be able to dream. Go with what your heart wants. You have to go through dissapointment, to appreciate the ups, says Ollie As a football supporter you shouldnt do it just because you want the good times - you should be there through thick and thin for your team. Trust me, there is no better place to be than Wembley when your team has just won. It will stay with you for the rest of your life. How do you go about winning it? Well, here are five important things to consider. 1) Manage your emotionsThe play-offs have given me the best and worst feelings in the world - dealing with those emotions is the absolute key to achieving success in this format.To quote Muhammad Ali, its about the will, not the skill. That makes people champions.You have to feel both sides of the coin to understand the play-offs.I think Ive got it sussed now. Its all about ascendancy and gaining it. Its like a tug of war, but an emotional one. Ollies Wembley predictions Which clubs does Ollie fancy? I prepared my lads at Blackpool by explaining to them the feeling you get when you lose and the emotion you feel when you win.Your players need to be like robots and not get too emotional on the play-off roller-coaster. That comes through extensive work on the training ground to programme their minds to deal with different situations.When Blackpool fell behind against Cardiff in the 2010 final, it was all about putting the ball back down calmly and regaining the ascendancy. My message was: Were 1-0 down, so what? How can we get at them? We can deal with the emotion of going behind, but they cant. Thats our advantage.In that play-off final against Cardiff where we kept coming back, Cardiff didnt get back into the game because they couldnt get over the negative feeling of falling behind. Its about being mentally ready for every single thing that can happen on a football field so you dont become too drained - that can then affect you psychically.2) Dont tense upWhoever plays how they normally do will come out on top. Rather than getting caught up in the occasion, its key to stay on task, realise what got you here in the first place and do all the basics right.The build-up and walk onto the pitch at Wembley is a test of nerve. Highlights of the 2010 play-off final between Blackpool and Cardiff as Ian Holloway led the Seasiders to the Premier League. Everything is relatively quiet in the tunnel and then bang, you hit this wall of noise. When you walk out, theyve got those torches that go off that almost take your face off!Everything is tingling then and although you dont want to show it, youre almost in a different state - like youre dreaming.I wish I could get that feeling every day. Its like being at the top of a rollercoaster and then shooting down at 100mph - your stomach feels like its somewhere else. If only you could bottle the feeling, youd sell it for millions of pounds. Play Fantasy Six-a-Side Pick your Championship play-off final team to win ￡10,000. 3) Mind gamesYou can get this wrong, massively. As a manager, youve got to be really careful what you say and do in the build-up and on the day.No one will want to come across as nervous because thats something the opposition can feed off. Its all part of it. It does help to put a bit of pressure on the opposition when you can say youve been there and done it as a manager. 4) A little bit of magicYou must have someone who can do something a bit special, like Charlie Adam did for me at Blackpool with a stunning free-kick against Cardiff. Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg between Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday.dddddddddddd You need your big-game players to show up and do something magical. Someone who has been influential throughout the season has to deliver on the big stage otherwise your job becomes much harder. Ive seen so many good players freeze on the day and not get into the game. Some players have a knack of perfecting their mental focus at this time of season and pushing them to the forefront is a real skill as a manager. Curtis Davies is hoping Hulls previous Wembley experience will help with their Championship play-off final with Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Some players can get mentally on it and their performance levels rocket. Its like this for all athletes, you need to get your mind in the right place to play the right game. If you do that then instinct takes over for you to perfect your skill.DJ Campbell was brilliant at it, so was Adam. They both had that little bit extra to produce at the right moment. Kevin Phillips was the same. Was I worried when he stepped up for that penalty for Palace? No chance. He would have scored it 20 out of 20 times.Theres more than enough players on show to excite us this weekend, whether were in the stadium or watching at home. 5) PreparationThe build-up to a play-off game is wonderful. Everyone around the place is smiling in the sunshine and wishing you luck.If you get past the semi-final, youve got 10 or 11 days to plan everything. However, its crucial to get everything planned down to a tee immediately after the semi-final.You can go and get your suits sorted, book hotels for the players and their families and make sure everyone that wants a ticket gets a ticket, knowing that your family are there is a massive thing for all concerned. With just five days to go before their League 2 play-off final with AFC Wimbledon, the Plymouth team have been getting suits fitted for the big day. You can lose your focus as a manager or a player if you get caught up too much in the razzmatazz of the build-up and leave a couple of stones unturned. Suits, hotels and tickets can be a massive distraction if not sorted early. Preparation is everything. Just look at Middlesbrough last season. Im in no doubt the fact their coach turned up late to Wembley affected the players when they lost to Norwich. They didnt look relaxed, they were anxious. Aitor Karanka would have been affected too, as hes so meticulous.When we got the final at Blackpool, the club had done it before, so they knew how to organise everything, which took a huge amount of pressure of me and the playing staff.It was magnificent and simplified everything. I took the same philosophy and plan to Crystal Palace and it worked a treat. We benefited hugely from such a simple formula, although I had to convince owner Steve Parish to wear suits rather than tracksuits. Preparation is everything. Just look at Middlesbrough last season. Im in no doubt the fact their coach turned up late to Wembley affected the players when they lost to Norwich. Ollie on preparation I wanted my lads to look and feel crisp when walking into Wembley. I thought it was important. It worked too as Watford showed up in tracksuits and looked scruffy. We were 1-0 up from that moment on - little psychological edges like that can make a huge difference. Watch every Football League play-off final game live from Wembley on Sky Sports. Find the full schedule here. Also See: FL72 Podcast Ollies Wembley predictions WATCH: Best of Football League Quiz: Old football grounds ' ' '