The Vanilla Rangers Need Some S.Avery Spice

Volatile would replace vanilla if Avery joins Rangers, MSNB headlines shouted. The article with that headline said a reunion in New York between the Rangers and Avery appears to be the natural progression but it would also mean the combination of two of hockey's biggest personalities: Avery and Tortorella.

The New York Rangers have been called vanilla many times this month, starting with Newsday at the start of February.

"They are widely perceived as a vanilla team that's a walk in the park as an opponent, Larry Brooks wrote in the New York Post. "They won't be either of those things once Avery comes back home again."

Craig Custance of Sportingnews.com said the same thing: "Just a week ago, there were complaints that the New York Rangers were too vanilla. They had a classy, and well-spoken coach in Tom Renney and were led by everybody's All-American Chris Drury."

Vanilla, in case you didn't know, means "unexciting, normal, conventional, boring," according to the Urban Dictionary.

Adding Avery to the mix in Manhatten would mean some Scary, Posh, Sporty, and Savoury spices, instead of vanilla.

The Rangers have been working on their recipe this month, trying to remove the vanilla. First, fiery John Tortorella was hired to replace the fired Tom Renney. Then an NHL source told SportingNews.com that he expects Sean Avery to be placed on re-entry waivers by the Dallas Stars on Monday.

If rumours about Avery returning to the Rangers are right, he could be in the lineup as soon as March 5, when they play the other New York team, the lowly Islanders.

The Rangers play the league leading Boston Bruins right after that, on Sunday, March 8, followed by the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Next, there's a game against the Nashville Predators on the 12th, a home-and home series with the Philadelphia Flyers on the weekend of the 14th and 15th, and then it's the Montreal Canadians, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Atlanta Thrashers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, before the Rangers meet the New Jersey Devils on Monday, March 30th.

Since Martin Brodeur is back with New Jersey, Avery could have a reunion with the Devils goalie at the end of the month, and possibly re-enact The Avery Rule antics.

Avery has been on his best behavior in the AHL. In his first seven games with the Hartford Wolf Pack, he had a goal, an assist and just two penalty minutes. The last time he played in the AHL, several seasons ago, with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, he had 304 PIMs.

In 57 games with the Rangers last season, Avery had 154 penalty minutes and the Rangers won a lot of those games.

He'll need to be that kind of player if and when he returns to the NHL next week, especially if it's with the vanilla Rangers

This demoralized team in desperate need of a spark was much stronger when he was in the lineup (50-23-13) than when he wasn't (24-35-9), last year.

He is not a big hockey player, but Avery was a good fit in New York with the Rangers, and he could be again.

He was embraced by Rangers fans at Madison Square Gardens who appreciated Avery's energy and passion for the game.

Avery can also inject the Rangers with an element of toughness - something else they are lacking. During his first stint in New York, he provided the Rangers with an edge, a nastiness, and a lot of gossip for Page 6 of the Post.

And if Avery returns to Manhattan, maybe he can get back his off-season job at Vogue magazine or Men's Vogue.

It's going to be a spicy springtime in Manhattan.