John Tortorella Does a 180 On Sean Avery In Short Time With the Rangers

When John Tortorella was hired to coach the New York Rangers, sports pundits predicted that was "it" for Sean Avery's comeback. On the Total Sports Network, Tortorella said Avery didn't belong in the NHL. Step by step, he has come around, just as GM Glen Sather predicted he would.

When the news broke that working with Avery was one of Tortorella's conditions of employment with the Rangers, hockey writers pictured them getting along like Latrell Sprewell and his coach, P.J. Carlesimo.  However, nobody choked anybody.

Tortorella's changing position on Avery can be seen in the quotes that have been widely reported. These were taken from the New York Daily News, National Post, ESPN, Sports Network, National Post, USA Today, and the International Herald Tribune.

Here's the top ten Tortorella quotes about Avery.

1. "Enough is enough," Tortorella said on TSN, before he was a Ranger. "He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home. He doesn't belong in the NHL."

2. "We feel, especially in the division, we need a little more jam on our team," said Tortorella a week after he was hired to coach the Rangers. "Hopefully, he can kick in a couple of goals. I haven't coached Sean, I want to see what he's all about."

3. "He's really tried to help himself, and GM Glen Sather believes in second chances," said Tortorella after meeting Avery. "I think he's done his homework here and we'll see where it goes."

4. "If he concentrates on just playing and not get caught up in all the minutia out there and everything coming at him, I think he can be a real effective guy for us," Tortorella said after Avery's first game.

5. "A lot of people have talked about the things I've said about Sean, but there are some other things I've said that he can be a very effective player," Tortorella said after Avery's second game.
 
6. "I think the locker room is good right now," Tortella said after two games and a few practices with Avery and the Rangers.

7. "I thought Sean did some good things tonight," he said after Avery's third game. "He is going to talk. That is part of his personality and part of what happens in the game. I don't want him to lose that," Tortorella said.

8. "I think he's been pretty effective. I think he's an outstanding skater, just the power that he has. He is really concentrating about trying to stay within himself," Tortorella said after the Rangers beat the league-eading Boston Bruins at Madison Square Gardens in the NBC game of the week.

9. "Avery, Gomez and Callahan played very well,'' Tortorella said after the Rangers beat the Nashville Predators and Avery got his first goal.

10. “I think he’s been outstanding in keeping his concentration and in doing what he’s been asked,” Tortorella said after game 7. Avery was the first star of the game with two goals, a Gordie Howe hat-trick, an unofficial dime, with a couple of hits and he drew a few penalties, too. “He’s done a very good job, and obviously was a big part of our win today.”

Avery played about thirteen minutes in his first game, which is a good deal of ice-time, and Tortorella has given him more work with each game. Rumor has it he has been promoted from the third line to the first.

At the Rangers last practice, Avery replaced Markus Naslund and may be playing with Scott Gomez and Nikolai Zherdev. Avery played with Gomez last season.

Tortorella has changed and so, apparently, has Avery. It appears the next change will be for Avery to go from third-line agitator to first-line scorer. He scored 18 goals in his best year with the Rangers, including some big ones at important moments in games that meant a lot, including the playoffs.