Sean Avery Calls Out New York Rangers for Poor Effort

Isn't it funny that Sean Avery was the same player to call out his team on a pathetic effort in a devastating loss to the Philadelphia Flyers by the exact same score about a month ago? What that tells me is that he is one of the few on this team who actually care more about the overall success of this team than their paycheck.

Last night's domination of the Rangers by the Canadiens did not come as a surprise as blowouts like this one have become common with this team this season and that is when you would think someone within the coaching staff and management would realize that there is a huge problem with this team. But no, instead, it is the team's heart and soul in Sean Avery who comes out and speaks his mind.

"You can say it's a lack of preparation, but that's BS; it's a lack of competitiveness," said Avery. "We do not play hard enough."

That is what Sean Avery told Larry Brooks of the New York Post , whom I did not notice during head coach John Tortorella's postgame presser. Although I did notice the giant microphone in Torts' face which he was seconds away from grabbing and throwing across the room.

"I don't have the explanation for it. I don't know if it's us not holding each other accountable, or what, but it's a total lack of respect for our fans and the organization. It's a joke."

Labeling it a joke is probably the best description of the struggle to score goals for the Blueshirts, because when people say it is because the team is snake-bitten, they simply do not know what they are talking about. It is due to a lack of effort and lack of will to go to the net. When the Rangers scored those 14 goals in two games, players were relentless in going to the net and finding loose pucks.

They were consistently fighting in the corners and the forecheck was spectacular. Where have any of those factors come into play in the last two shutout losses to the Flyers and the Habs? Well, they have been non-existent.

"It's fine if you get beat," said Avery. "It's fine if you compete and get beat, but to play this way . . . that's not what it's like to be a Ranger."

Somehow it does seem that is what it means to be a Ranger; non-caring attitude mixed with mediocrity and nothing much to prove at all. At times like this, it is embarrassing to call yourself a fan of this team when they do not care except for select players.

Not expecting any news today, but if there is, I will be sure to have it up on the blog as well as on twitter.com/RangersTribune . Until then, hopefully we can see a New York team who plays with the right attitude in the Jets try to defeat the Colts and make it to the Super Bowl in Miami.