Rangerland Forum Information

[Rocha]

Even Larry Brooks seems to have washed his hands of Avery and his behavior:

The Rangers yesterday informed Sean Avery he will not be on the AHL Whale’s post-season roster while also instructing the winger to no longer report to the rink for club practices or games.

The dictate followed myriad incidents between Avery and the staffs in Connecticut and New York that could be classified as, "related to discipline," all of which occurred after general manager Glen Sather declined to place the winger on re-entry waivers the second week of January when requested to do so by another NHL club.

The GM explained he refused to do so because he did not want to hamper the Rangers’ maneuverability going into the Feb. 27 trade deadline by carrying what would have been approximately $445,000 of dead space upon a claim.

Avery, assigned to the Whale after clearing waivers on Dec. 31, apparently believed he could force his way out of the AHL by confronting management rather than wait for Sather to oblige as it grew nearer to the deadline.

Avery has not played in a game for the Whale since Jan. 27 and has not practiced with the team for approximately three weeks, instead skating on his own under management orders.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/dub...P#ixzz1oScIY5yS

[Knight of Dight]

I guess it's a very good thing he owns a bar to supplement his income, huh?

[jburns]

[TeamStewie]

Pardon me while I mourn..

[Nilan 666]

Joker Kitteh is happeh.

[SorryaboutthatWh...]

[SorryaboutthatWh...]

This is really all so sudden. I wasn't sure this day would come, I'm barely prepared. I'd like to first and foremost thank my wife for always standing by me during these hard times. Thanks babe! Um...my friends and family for always believing in me. I'd like to thank Rocha, for always being there with the hate as well. Um...the New York Rangers for sending him down during 24/7 right before the Winter Classic as the ultimate slap in the face and um...oh! all those people who hung banners and chanted his name, thank you! Without you, I probably wouldn't hate him and enjoy this as much as I do today!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU SOO MUCH!!!

[SorryaboutthatWh...]

[chopchop]

I guess it's a very good thing he owns a bar to supplement his income, huh?

I believe it would be BARS at this point. He'll be just fine. Lata chummmmmmmmmm ... P!

[BaHa]

Restaurants, actually.

[Sed]

TGI McHealthyScratchy's

[toph]

It was pretty awesome when he first joined the team, but the reunion after Dallas was a disaster pretty much from the start.

[Andy from the LE...]

Heh, whaddaya know.

Dis the crap out of me all you want, but I don't care; I thought he played well at times after he came back ('10) and right before ('08). I agree that his Magical Mystery Intangibles were overblown, but he did forecheck well and went to the net. He's had a shitty run since then, no doubt, and while much of that was his own doing, I'm sure playing for a coach that hated his guts didn't help either.

I guess the best way to look at him is as a "transition" player, so to speak, in the sense that he sorta bridged the gap between the speedy Euro-centric Jagr/post-lockout renaissance and the new, rough and tumble era. Yes, the praise for him was/is extremely irrational, but so was/is the hate.

And that's all I'll say about this. Have at it.

[Nilan 666]

In short, he didn't always suck.

[Greatone]

Heh, whaddaya know.

Dis the crap out of me all you want, but I don't care; I thought he played well at times after he came back ('10) and right before ('08). I agree that his Magical Mystery Intangibles were overblown, but he did forecheck well and went to the net. He's had a shitty run since then, no doubt, and while much of that was his own doing, I'm sure playing for a coach that hated his guts didn't help either.

I guess the best way to look at him is as a "transition" player, so to speak, in the sense that he sorta bridged the gap between the speedy Euro-centric Jagr/post-lockout renaissance and the new, rough and tumble era. Yes, the praise for him was/is extremely irrational, but so was/is the hate.

And that's all I'll say about this. Have at it.

FUCK YOU ANDY ARGHHHHHHHH

[Ari_Schmells]

And that's a wrap?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=622020

The controversial forward told a live viewing audience during the online "After Show" segment of Bravo TV's "Watch What Happens Live", that he was calling it quits.

Avery's announcement came after the show's host, Andy Cohen, posed a viewer question to him regarding his future.

"Sean, what are your thoughts about your hockey future?" Cohen asked Avery.

The 31-year-old Avery lounged back in his chair and said: "I am officially retired; I threw my skates in the Hudson [River]."

[Knight of Dight]

In short, he didn't always suck.

He sucked ever since we bought him back following the Sloppy Seconds incident. A combination of things contributed to that, including having to play for a new coach who despised him, being "neutered" by management so that the best part of his game was neutralized, and becoming a target of the officials.

[jkman61494]

In short, he didn't always suck.

He sucked ever since we bought him back following the Sloppy Seconds incident. A combination of things contributed to that, including having to play for a new coach who despised him, being "neutered" by management so that the best part of his game was neutralized, and becoming a target of the officials.

I'd like to think new talent also made him expendable. During the tenure(s) of Sean Avery, we actually saw this team develop from within. Even in the past 3 seasons you have seen Callahan become a legit top 6 forward and of course the arrivals of guys like Stepan, Anisimov and Hagelin.

Then you had Brandon Prust come to the team who probably had a bit less overall talent than Avery, but also knew where the line was before he crossed it. Also to be fair, a guy like Prust had more rope with the league than Sean.

All of these things helped spell the end of him. Knowing he loves the New York lifestyle and has a career in modeling and fashion and such, I don't blame him for deciding to call it career rather than ride crappy planes in Russia or become absolutely forgotten skating for some team like Theo Fleury's former club in the UK.

With all of that said, I still wouldn't be shocked if the Islanders, if for no other reason than to try and put butts and the seats, signs this guy next year.

[SorryaboutthatWh...]

With all of that said, I still wouldn't be shocked if the Islanders, if for no other reason than to try and put butts and the seats, signs this guy next year.

Would never happen. He's not a fit and it would be a PR nightmare as I haven't met a single Islander fan who wants him on their club. The second he starts acting out the fans would probably revolt, and the Islanders need all the good faith they can get.

Will. Not. Happen.

[Rhino]

With all of that said, I still wouldn't be shocked if the Islanders, if for no other reason than to try and put butts and the seats, signs this guy next year.

Would never happen. He's not a fit and it would be a PR nightmare as I haven't met a single Islander fan who wants him on their club. The second he starts acting out the fans would probably revolt, and the Islanders need all the good faith they can get.

Will. Not. Happen.

Are you POSITIVE?

[Tex]

Are you POSITIVE?

why, ya wanna bet a bag o' candy on it?

[ultimate steve]

The islander fans would do no such revolting. He'd do something to a ranger and they'd love him forever.

Kinda like how he knocked brodeur on his ass and everyone fell in love with him.

This post has been edited by ultimate steve: Mar 13 2012, 04:07 PM

[Greatone]

With all of that said, I still wouldn't be shocked if the Islanders, if for no other reason than to try and put butts and the seats, signs this guy next year.

Would never happen. He's not a fit and it would be a PR nightmare as I haven't met a single Islander fan who wants him on their club. The second he starts acting out the fans would probably revolt, and the Islanders need all the good faith they can get.

Will. Not. Happen.

He's been on the Avery to the Islanders train forever.

[jkman61494]

Choooo-chooooooo!

[Rocha]

Of course he's retiring. As a hockey player, Avery never cared for anything but his amusement. It was glaringly obvious in the things he said and did. That so many fans constantly looked past his numerous selfish incidents was one of the most frustrating situations I've ever had as a fan of any team. Good luck to him in his personal life, and good riddance to him as a Ranger and hockey player.

[leedsy99]

Of course he's retiring. As a hockey player, Avery never cared for anything but his amusement.

I'm intentionally staying out of Avery conversations because they aren't worth it, but come on. There are certain things that can't be defended and he's the very definition of a selfish athlete, but to say that he didn't care about anything other than himself is a real stretch. People (fans) reacted to him not simply because of his "asshole" moments but because he generally tried. The highlight of his tenure career was his performance against Atlanta in the postseason -- was that entirely selfish? Prior to Dallas, in 18 playoff games, he had 12 points. Was that entirely for his amusement? Or because he actually wanted to win the game?

I think Avery liked being a celebrity first and a hockey player second, if that is more in line with what you were trying to say about him. The problem is that he wasn't good enough to be both, and splitting time between the two eroded his hockey. He was also unfairly targeted by the league, who saw him in the way that most teams and players did -- not worth the effort of trying to defend him. (Find me any other example of a player that was indefinitely suspended for language you can hear in any PG-13 movie.) No one wanted to defend him, because he was an asshole, and he couldn't play his good-and-bad game under a zero tolerance policy. I don't/won't miss him, and I credit the Rangers for giving him more than a fair shot to revive his career. But I refuse to accept that his entire career was nothing more than a sideshow. Aside from his postseason, he had 53 points in 86 games during his first Rangers term. That makes him an impact player and that's what the fans responded to. Everything since then, I would agree, has been a selfish sideshow.

[Rocha]

OK, yes, he did have some genuine good hockey moments in his first stint here, I don't want to take that away from him. But sometimes they're hard to remember because even his first stint here is usually lost in all the antics he was feted for -- Brodeur glove waving/fatso, taking bad penalties, "Avery effect," starting fights in pre-games, starting fights everywhere, really, including in the locker room and hallways after games. None of those incidents were about hockey, they were about his personality, yet it's why so many love him.

[Knight of Dight]

OK, yes, he did have some genuine good hockey moments in his first stint here, I don't want to take that away from him. But sometimes they're hard to remember because even his first stint here is usually lost in all the antics he was feted for -- Brodeur glove waving/fatso, taking bad penalties, "Avery effect," starting fights in pre-games, starting fights everywhere, really, including in the locker room and hallways after games. None of those incidents were about hockey, they were about his personality, yet it's why so many love him.

He's an asshole but he's our asshole!

/typicalcluelessfan

I think it was the Brodeur stickwaving/fatso thing that made so many people love him, honestly. That was one series, and it made him into a fan favorite. Other than that incident and how much he got under Kovalchuk's skin in Atlanta, he did very little for this club. Yet every forgets that, forgets the penalties and forgets the constant off-sides he took. His best year with us he had 15 goals-- that was the year he caused Brodeur much grief in the playoffs. While he was with the Rangers, he only scored 10 or more twice-- the other seasons he had 8, 5, and 3 goals. If you aren't getting at least 10+ every season and you're a penalty magnet, you're a liability to the team. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

[Greatone]

Something something Mike Rupp something something

[jkman61494]

While I was quite vehement against the Rupp signing, I've never been one of these Avery fanatics. He absolutely was a penalty magnet. But I do think he was loved because he did play a crucial role over the only two playoff series victories in over a decade.

But Avery was in part a casualty of the quality rebuilding of this team. Funny enough, I think a guy like Brandon Prust was the final nail in the coffin (3 goals last year didn't help). Prust could bring that agitator style without crossing the line or being a target of the league.

This post has been edited by jkman61494: Mar 14 2012, 02:47 PM

[The Fast Choker]

OK, yes, he did have some genuine good hockey moments in his first stint here, I don't want to take that away from him. But sometimes they're hard to remember because even his first stint here is usually lost in all the antics he was feted for -- Brodeur glove waving/fatso, taking bad penalties, "Avery effect," starting fights in pre-games, starting fights everywhere, really, including in the locker room and hallways after games. None of those incidents were about hockey, they were about his personality, yet it's why so many love him.

He's an asshole but he's our asshole!

/typicalcluelessfan

I think it was the Brodeur stickwaving/fatso thing that made so many people love him, honestly. That was one series, and it made him into a fan favorite. Other than that incident and how much he got under Kovalchuk's skin in Atlanta, he did very little for this club. Yet every forgets that, forgets the penalties and forgets the constant off-sides he took. His best year with us he had 15 goals-- that was the year he caused Brodeur much grief in the playoffs. While he was with the Rangers, he only scored 10 or more twice-- the other seasons he had 8, 5, and 3 goals. If you aren't getting at least 10+ every season and you're a penalty magnet, you're a liability to the team. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Just a stat correction, but in the seasons he had 8 and 5 goals he only played 29 and 18 games for the Rangers, so it's not like those seasons were as bad as last season's 3 goal one for him.

[Knight of Dight]

OK, yes, he did have some genuine good hockey moments in his first stint here, I don't want to take that away from him. But sometimes they're hard to remember because even his first stint here is usually lost in all the antics he was feted for -- Brodeur glove waving/fatso, taking bad penalties, "Avery effect," starting fights in pre-games, starting fights everywhere, really, including in the locker room and hallways after games. None of those incidents were about hockey, they were about his personality, yet it's why so many love him.

He's an asshole but he's our asshole!

/typicalcluelessfan

I think it was the Brodeur stickwaving/fatso thing that made so many people love him, honestly. That was one series, and it made him into a fan favorite. Other than that incident and how much he got under Kovalchuk's skin in Atlanta, he did very little for this club. Yet every forgets that, forgets the penalties and forgets the constant off-sides he took. His best year with us he had 15 goals-- that was the year he caused Brodeur much grief in the playoffs. While he was with the Rangers, he only scored 10 or more twice-- the other seasons he had 8, 5, and 3 goals. If you aren't getting at least 10+ every season and you're a penalty magnet, you're a liability to the team. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Just a stat correction, but in the seasons he had 8 and 5 goals he only played 29 and 18 games for the Rangers, so it's not like those seasons were as bad as last season's 3 goal one for him.

Thanks for noticing that-- I was just looking at goals and I neglected to see how many games he played.

[UKBlue]

fwiw, I saw him this morning (I live near Tiny's, one of his restaurants). He really does have an arrogant demeanor and I say that as someone that kinda rooted for him. Felt like going up to him and saying I would give my left pinky to be able to do what he is able to and what a waste. He wasn't smoking a cigarette this time - that was the other day

[leedsy99]

I think it was the Brodeur stickwaving/fatso thing that made so many people love him, honestly. That was one series, and it made him into a fan favorite.

Rangers fans are idiots. A guy like Chris Nilan (85 games total for the Rangers) could get a standing ovation at the Garden while Petr Nedved would probably get spit on if he crossed the wrong person (i.e., me) in the subway. I don't think the fans reacted to his performance. As Pete has pointed out, their is a contingent there that would still have him play right now, despite the fact that his production since coming back is well below acceptable. But if you understand Rangers fans, it's perfectly understandable why they would take a liking to him -- they always take a liking to scrappy underdogs (current example, Carl Hagelin) -- and for a stretch of time Avery deserved every bit of praise that he got. Once he got paid like a celebrity, hockey was over for him.

Here's an interesting "What if" (at least for me) -- what if Brett Hull never sells Avery to Dallas, his reputation blackballs him around the NHL and he's forced into a modest offer from Glen Sather. Renney is still the coach at that point. Do you think Tortorella takes the coaching job if Avery is one of his prominent players? And a pre-sloppy seconds Avery at this point is an impact player in New York -- wouldn't that make the Rangers a better team, which might not lead to the transformations like the Renney firing and the Gomez trade, etc. Shudder.

[Mike B.]

OK, wait a minute. I've been avoiding this thread because I'm so sick of talking about him, but I will say that one of the things that very much appealed to me about Avery from the get-go was how insane he drove Brodeur. Stick-waving (as embarrassing as it was), Fatso, crease-charging, knocking him over, the whole lot of it. Anyone who sat through 9 seasons of Brodeur absolutely dominating the Rangers from 1995 to 2004 (1997 playoff excepted) had to enjoy that at least a little. I would agree with the assessment that he put more effort into his image than his play, especially in his second stint, and that he was deservedly taken out of the organization's plans as a result.

This post has been edited by Mike B.: Mar 14 2012, 03:27 PM

[leedsy99]

Felt like going up to him and saying I would give my left pinky to be able to do what he is able to and what a waste.

What waste? He played 580 games in the NHL as a marginal talent, has his name on a Stanley Cup (I think), and he leaves the NHL completely healthy and with several million dollars in the bank. And now he fulfills his manifest destiny as a permanent celebrity guest on Project Runway and Dancing With The Stars. Go ahead and call him a waste -- he'll hand you $100 and ask you to park his car for him while he gets a handjob from your girlfriend.

Such contempt for a guy whose only trespass to Rangers fans was ... what? Being undeservedly popular?

[UKBlue]

Felt like going up to him and saying I would give my left pinky to be able to do what he is able to and what a waste.

What waste? He played 580 games in the NHL as a marginal talent, has his name on a Stanley Cup (I think), and he leaves the NHL completely healthy and with several million dollars in the bank. And now he fulfills his manifest destiny as a permanent celebrity guest on Project Runway and Dancing With The Stars. Go ahead and call him a waste -- he'll hand you $100 and ask you to park his car for him while he gets a handjob from your girlfriend.

Such contempt for a guy whose only trespass to Rangers fans was ... what? Being undeservedly popular?

Agree wholeheartedly...by waste I meant he's only 31 and I would love to be able to do what he is surely still capable of doing

[Rocha]

OK, wait a minute. I've been avoiding this thread because I'm so sick of talking about him, but I will say that one of the things that very much appealed to me about Avery from the get-go was how insane he drove Brodeur. Stick-waving (as embarrassing as it was), Fatso, crease-charging, knocking him over, the whole lot of it. Anyone who sat through 9 seasons of Brodeur absolutely dominating the Rangers from 1995 to 2004 (1997 playoff excepted) had to enjoy that at least a little. I would agree with the assessment that he put more effort into his image than his play, especially in his second stint, and that he was deservedly taken out of the organization's plans as a result.

Henrik Lundqvist has frequently bested one of the best goalies to ever play. That's getting revenge on Brodeur. Sean Avery annoyed him sometimes. It wasn't an owning of Brodeur, it was clownish shit. And I didn't even mind the fatso comment, Brodeur was a punk in the handshake line, Avery dug at him in the post-game, whatever. But Avery didn't do anything to Brodeur, the guy was off his game for a long time until this season. He would have been the same mess in that playoff series with or without Avery.

[Mike B.]

OK, wait a minute. I've been avoiding this thread because I'm so sick of talking about him, but I will say that one of the things that very much appealed to me about Avery from the get-go was how insane he drove Brodeur. Stick-waving (as embarrassing as it was), Fatso, crease-charging, knocking him over, the whole lot of it. Anyone who sat through 9 seasons of Brodeur absolutely dominating the Rangers from 1995 to 2004 (1997 playoff excepted) had to enjoy that at least a little. I would agree with the assessment that he put more effort into his image than his play, especially in his second stint, and that he was deservedly taken out of the organization's plans as a result.

Henrik Lundqvist has frequently bested one of the best goalies to ever play at goaltending. That's getting revenge on Brodeur. Sean Avery annoyed him sometimes. It wasn't an owning of Brodeur, it was clownish shit. And I didn't even mind the fatso comment, Brodeur was a punk in the handshake line, Avery dug at him in the post-game, whatever. But Avery didn't do anything to Brodeur, the guy was off his game for a long time until this season. He would have been the same mess in that playoff series with or without Avery.

True about Henrik, and I'm not saying that Avery is the only reason why the Devils don't completely own the Rangers anymore. Also, Brodeur won two Vezinas post-lockout, including in the season I think you're talking about (2008), so he wasn't exactly on the decline right away. The wear and tear was finally catching up to him, probably, especially in the playoffs. I'm just admitting to a juvenile thrill at that time, I think it was in 2007 after he came here at the deadline, when he knocked Brodeur down during a scuffle in the crease. I guess you could say it was symbolic of a larger changing of the guard in the NY area.

[Dunc]

Felt like going up to him and saying I would give my left pinky to be able to do what he is able to and what a waste.

What waste? He played 580 games in the NHL as a marginal talent, has his name on a Stanley Cup (I think), and he leaves the NHL completely healthy and with several million dollars in the bank. And now he fulfills his manifest destiny as a permanent celebrity guest on Project Runway and Dancing With The Stars. Go ahead and call him a waste -- he'll hand you $100 and ask you to park his car for him while he gets a handjob from your girlfriend.

Such contempt for a guy whose only trespass to Rangers fans was ... what? Being undeservedly popular?

Well, he did say that he threw his skates into the Hudson River. I would have taken them.

This post has been edited by Dunc: Mar 14 2012, 03:50 PM

[leedsy99]

Agree wholeheartedly...by waste I meant he's only 31 and I would love to be able to do what he is surely still capable of doing

For a role-player, and that's what he was, it is kind of old. Think about someone like Esa Tikkanen, he became washed up just around the same age. Kirk Maltby, again a better player than Avery, spent his final five seasons (retired at 36, I think) putting up ten points seasons. Maybe it sucks that Avery just lost his love for the game, but it's not like he was Alex Daigle who squandered talent in the process.

As for the Brodeur stuff -- Pete, I think you'll taking it literally instead of just reacting as a fan. Avery did not swing the course of Brodeur's career, but he gave a form of punctuation to the way that Rangers fans felt about him for years. Avery was the FU guy, and fans like the FU guy because that's what most fans want to do to the opposing team. Eff you, tubby!

[Sed]

Well, he did say that he threw his skates into the Hudson River. I would have taken them.

I was glad that there was that clarification in brackets that specified that he was talking about the river, and not the automobile or Kate.

[scott03]

OK, wait a minute. I've been avoiding this thread because I'm so sick of talking about him, but I will say that one of the things that very much appealed to me about Avery from the get-go was how insane he drove Brodeur. Stick-waving (as embarrassing as it was), Fatso, crease-charging, knocking him over, the whole lot of it. Anyone who sat through 9 seasons of Brodeur absolutely dominating the Rangers from 1995 to 2004 (1997 playoff excepted) had to enjoy that at least a little. I would agree with the assessment that he put more effort into his image than his play, especially in his second stint, and that he was deservedly taken out of the organization's plans as a result.

Henrik Lundqvist has frequently bested one of the best goalies to ever play at goaltending. That's getting revenge on Brodeur. Sean Avery annoyed him sometimes. It wasn't an owning of Brodeur, it was clownish shit. And I didn't even mind the fatso comment, Brodeur was a punk in the handshake line, Avery dug at him in the post-game, whatever. But Avery didn't do anything to Brodeur, the guy was off his game for a long time until this season. He would have been the same mess in that playoff series with or without Avery.

True about Henrik, and I'm not saying that Avery is the only reason why the Devils don't completely own the Rangers anymore. Also, Brodeur won two Vezinas post-lockout, including in the season I think you're talking about (2008), so he wasn't exactly on the decline right away. The wear and tear was finally catching up to him, probably, especially in the playoffs. I'm just admitting to a juvenile thrill at that time, I think it was in 2007 after he came here at the deadline, when he knocked Brodeur down during a scuffle in the crease. I guess you could say it was symbolic of a larger changing of the guard in the NY area.

and in knocking him down on this occasion, fatso did his usual embellishing flop. i mean, if someone shoves you down, you kinda go down, backwards. not do a double axel with a half gainer on the way down. just my 2 cents.

[Dunc]

Well, he did say that he threw his skates into the Hudson River. I would have taken them.

I was glad that there was that clarification in brackets that specified that he was talking about the river, and not the automobile or Kate.

...or Ernie.

[Eric]

Sean Avery does not have his name on the Stanley Cup. He only played 36 regular season games with Detroit in 2001-02 and zero playoff games. Short of the 40 game requirement to get ones name on the Stanley Cup. The team did not petition the league.

This post has been edited by Eric: Mar 14 2012, 05:53 PM

[Ebase]

If we dressed Avery we would be in 1st place.

[Bleedin-Blue]

Who?

[Bleedin-Blue]

Ohhhh right. This guy:

[Sed]

Ohhhh right. This guy:

Mike has small, girlish hands.

[Ebase]

Ohhhh right. This guy:

Mike has small, girlish hands.

Avery had intangibles