Sean Avery, one of the NHL’s notorious pests, is on the market again.
The New York Rangers placed the left winger on waivers at noon ET Tuesday.
The only real disappointing factor of his release is that now we as hockey fans won’t be able to see Avery uncensored when the HBO cameras show up in the Rangers locker room to begin filming 24/7: Road To the NHL Winter Classic. That is, unless the Philadelphia Flyers are interested in the notorious bad boy.
But to hear Pat Morris, Avery’s agent talk, he has indicated that playing in Europe this season is an option if the 31-year-old left wing clears waivers. Avery, who is in the final season of a four-year contract, will remain on waivers for 24 hours; If he’s not claimed, the Rangers can assign Avery to their American Hockey League team, the Connecticut Whale, and his $1,937,500 salary will come off their cap.
Ironically, it was the Rangers who claimed Avery from Dallas off re-entry waivers on March 3, 2009. If you remember, Dallas immediately distanced themselves from Avery following his “sloppy seconds” comment in regards to Dion Phaneuf and ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert. However, it was rumored that Avery never really fit into the plans of Rangers head coach John Tortorella. As result, Avery has seen less and less ice time over the last two seasons, and when it came down to final forward spot on the roster, Erik Christensen outperformed No. 16 during the preseason.
It also probably didn’t help Avery’s case that he continues to be a lightning rod for controversy. There was his recent arrest in LA over the summer (for which Avery was exonerated), there was his outspoken support of the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York and most recently, there was that whole accusing Wayne Simmonds of using a homophobic slur against him, something Simmonds denied while subtly claiming Avery provoked it with his own harsh verbiage.
Maybe the Flyers won’t be calling Avery after all. Enjoy Europe, Sean.
photo credit: Anna Enriquez
