New York Rangers: With Playoffs Looming, It's Sean Avery Time

Does Sean Avery lie down until its crunch time?

As a die-hard New York Rangers fan, it seems to me that Avery does not really try until things come down to the wire.  Let's look at the facts:

Avery was hurt a lot this season, that's not his fault and it’s all part of the game he plays.

However, even when he was around in the lineup earlier in the season, did it look like he played this hard?

I know Avery is an awesome player, I know he will tell anyone who asks that he brings 100 percent to the table every night.  But...isn't it a little ironic that now, with the playoffs looming and the Rangers desperately needing to keep their heads above water, that he really starts showing up?

What bothers me about the whole situation is that if he really is just going through the motions until the end, look at what he's done in the past weeks, and imagine if he played like this all season long—he would be a monster of a player.  

Maybe he's just aware of the fact that he not likely be coming back to the Broadway blueshirts next season and is trying to up his value.  

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have him back next season.  He's a player who gets under everyone else's skin and throws them off their game (see: Ilya Kovalchuk in last season's playoffs).  Avery also is a catalyst for a Rangers team that desperately needs the type of play that he brings.  They don't have any one else like him and that would be a huge problem if he leaves.

Sure, I know some of you are thinking Colton Orr, but you're wrong.  Orr was brought to the Rangers for one main reason, to be a tough guy and a fighter.  Yet, he hardly even does that.  Opposing players are more aware of Avery than they are Orr.  At this point, I wouldn't even be scared of Colton Orr.

I truly hope the Rangers decide to do the smart thing and renegotiate with Avery.  Once he's gone, Brandon Dubinsky is going to be the resident tough guy on the team.

Think about that one for a second...