Sean Avery may be a pest, but he is very good at it, and any team in the NHL should be happy and feel lucky to have him.
Avery is a different type of pest. Most of them in the NHL are good for only that, in fact it seems they can barely even skate. When it comes to pissing off your opponent, they usually end up doing more harm than good for their own team. Avery, though, seems to have mastered the skill/art of “the hockey pest.”
The Dallas Stars are now blessed with the presence of the super pest, and he will bring energy to that team. Unlike most of today's pests, Avery has shown the ability to make plays and finish, as well. He will be a lot of fun for Dallas now that he is a member of the team as opposed to playing against.
Every hockey fan knows what Avery did in the playoffs last year against the New Jersey Devils, and because of that there is now a rule instituted in the book against taunting the goalie right in his face. The “Avery Rule” at the time was completely legal; there was nothing the officials could do. Now that it is no longer legal, Avery will need to find something else to do to get under the skin of opponents. I have a feeling this will not be a challenge.
The Rangers front office made a big mistake when it let go of Avery; he was the team's most dangerous weapon on the ice. If he was put on the ice with top players, he would have more points and still be the super pest he has always been. The Rangers should have put him on their first line instead of on the third line, where he was most of the time.
As a Maple Leafs fan, I would have loved to see Cliff Fletcher hold a press conference to announce that they have acquired Avery, no matter who they had to trade for him. If Avery ever came to Leafs Nation, it would be one of the happiest days of my life.
He is the ultimate weapon when he’s going after the puck; if he went for it more often, he could be a 60-point man. I know 60 points isn’t great, but combined with everything else he does, he is well worth any trade that will bring him to the Leafs.
comments (15) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
Sean Avery's influence is already apparent in his young career as a Star, sure it's been fights, and misconducts but that toughness is something Dallas needs. Yesterday he fought a pred defenseman and both got tossed, making the Preds short one D man in the rotation. Sure Avery is out but he's hurting the other team too. As long as he stays happy in Dallas, the future is bright for him and the Stars.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the comment Ken. See if you can get in touch with Dallas managment and get them to trade Avery to Toronto, we could use him over here. ;)
about 1 month ago
He has great influence, can play hockey, and any team would love to have him, but he indeed does make a mockery of the game sometimes. He helps a great deal, but sometimes, I'm sure the NHL is mad that he is still in the league.
from about 1 month ago
Any team would love to have him...until they do.
As Greg said, he is a locker room cancer. The only reason the Stars offered him a good contract is because Brett Hull likes him. Supposedly, Mike Modano was pretty upset with the signing.
from about 1 month ago
Ofcourse they want him gone, he's the kind of player they don't want because he can do exactly what he does...be a super pest and make plays
about 1 month ago
The only reason Avery hasn't been killed by his teammates is because he performs on the ice. He is a great player that has many intangibles unseen for many other players. But off the ice and in the locker room he is a cancer which is why he hasn't stuck around on any of the three teams he's played on for too long. Dallas will be sorry they gave him a contract for as long as they did.
from about 1 month ago
If this is what you think then go aheard, you have first hand exprerance as a rangers fan, but I would love for Avery to be on my team.
about 1 month ago
ot was good
about 1 month ago
Sean Avery has talent there is no doubt about that. I for one would not welcome that kind of low class stunts he pulls to any team I like. And as a matter of fact I would actually start to lose respect for a team that acquires him and allows him to keep his antics up. If the guy just focused on the game of hockey the game as well as he would be better for it. He has very little respect for the game and I think that I why I despise him the way I do. There are a few others in the NHL that I feel the exact same way about. But Avery tops that list.
about 1 month ago
"a team that acquires him and allows him to keep his antics up" allows him, if a team gets him they want him to keep those antics up thats why they got him.
On the other hand you are right, if just concetraded on the game he could be much better at the overall game.
about 1 month ago
Huge Ranger fan.....I've missed him since the day Sather wouldn't pay him a couple extra bucks to keep him in Manhattan. I didn't know too much of Avery's play when he was out in LA, but his impact was immediate when he came to the Rangers. Was my favorite on the team for the year-and-a-half he was here. Think of him as a Darcy Tucker.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the comment. Thats why I wrote this, Because he's the kind of guy that brings an immediate impact that propels a team. As for the comparison to Darcy Tucker, I think Avery is better then Tucker, Tucker always went after big check and ended up slaming into the boards, but he was still good in his last few years.
about 1 month ago
Kudos for throwing support behind a guy just about everybody else hates. That said, I still don't want him on the Leafs.
The Tucker-Avery debate has been going on for a while, but the fact is stats don't lie. Tucker's had 6 20+ goal seasons, and might have pushed 40 G in 2006 if he'd stayed healthy. Avery has yet to crack the 20 G mark through 6 seasons (though, he likely would have last year if he'd played a all 82).
In Junior Tucker was a World class goal scorer. His Last year with Kamloops he averaged a goal a game (64Gm 137 pts in 66 games). Avery only managed a total 87 goals in 5 seasons in the OHL. Generally, guys score less in the NHL, not more, but I realize this isn't the strongest argument, but does feed to my point. Sure, Avery would score more if he played on the top line - who wouldn't? But that doesn't mean he's a top line player. He'll likely crack the 20 G plateau at some point in his career, but I'll be stunned if he ever nets 30.
The Leafs just cleared their dressing room of a lot of personalities that weren't helping anymore., and possibly weren't putting the team first. Adding Avery to this group would be a very big mistake. Whatever positives he would bring (and I do agree there are some) would be negated by the resulting disruption in the dressing room, particularily without a clear cut leader to keep him in check in the room.
from about 1 month ago
Hey, first of all, Thanks for the comment.
I agree that Tucker was a more skilled player, but as far as being an in your face aggitator, that goes to Avery. Like you said, The Leafs did just clear out the dressing room of unnessicary players, Avery would be a bad fit at this time.
16 days ago
Your poll is a laugh as well as your article. Brendan Morrow doesn't love Avery that's who. Same goes for Mike Modano. It made no sense for dallas to sign Avery. They already have a good pest. Ott. Now that they have Avery look what that is getting them. Terrible morale in the locker room, a losing record, the worst Dallas team in recent memory. The team hates him. Every team he's been on hates him.
And the Rangers' have plenty of bigger weapons than Avery. Gomez, Drury, Lundqvist, etc. Hell even Voros is as good as Avery. He wanted 4 Million a year from the rangers. that's ridiculous for a pest. He does not have 4 million dollar talent or abilities.
And if the leafs ever signed him there might be a small riot. lol! Don Cherry would die on the spot.
write a new comment