Sean Avery: Is the Much-Hated Enforcer Merely Misunderstood?

Being a long time Stars fan, the kid in me muttered “leave it to Dallas” when the Stars announced earlier this summer that they had signed Sean Avery.

Much like the amazing Brett Hull signing of my youth, I didn’t truly believe it until I saw the jersey in the player’s hands. But the day is here, and I can honestly say Sean Avery is a Dallas Star.

The former Rangers enforcer signed a four-year, $15.5 million contract on July 2, and on Wednesday in Dallas, put on the Stars' number 16 for the first time.

Oddly enough he reminded me of a former number 16—the one known as “the little ball of hate.”

As the affinities between the Stars of my early adult years and my youth become clear, it seems odd how similar Pat Verbeek and Sean Avery are. Both wear number 16, both came to Dallas from the Rangers, and both are enforcers only a mother could love.

Sadly, the similarities end there. It's possible Avery will be as beloved as Verbeek in Big D.

Being out of the loop on both Avery and the Rangers, I asked a Ranger fan about Avery, as I figured I should be prepared for his antics. “I loved him in New York and he is a guy you love to hate,” said Chris of Battle of the Pacific. “Any team would love to have him to make an impact like he did for the Rangers. He gets a bad rap, but really I love what he does.”

Can it be that Avery isn’t a bad apple? That people just mistake him for a thug?

I was an agitator all my hockey career. In my early years, I even enforced as a wing with the top scorers on the team. How I did, I don’t know, but much like Avery I pissed people off. Even to this day with my sister, I do it quite well.

Yes, Avery does go overboard—but he does his job well, can’t argue that. Plus who can call such a pretty boy a thug anyway? This guy brings so much Hollywood to Dallas; I feel like Dallas is the new Beverly Hills. (Side note—the guy who designed Highland Park, a rich suburb in Dallas, also designed Beverly Hills.)

At the end of the day, it occurs to me: in my time playing I was much like the small, but angering Avery. I might have been to hard on him in the past, and probably will be in the future. This realization that myself and Avery have smiliar playing styles might make him a favorite Star of mine, but only future games in watching the Stars will prove this right or wrong.

I’m hoping to get Stars tickets upon my after Christmas move back to Dallas. Maybe I will get lucky and watch Avery beat up on my Ducks. I’m not real sure what I think of that right now... Is it hockey season yet?

Image: Courtesy of Stars website

*For a Video of Sean Avery's first time in a Stars jersey visit Battle of the Pacific*