Avery Waived by the Rangers (Updated - Weise Claimed by Canucks; Bell, Bickel Also Waived)
Update, 10/5, 12:07 p.m.:TSN's Bob McKenzie reports that Avery has cleared waivers.
Larry Brooks adds that Avery will be assigned to AHL Whale but it is not known how much time he has been given by Sather to find alternative plans.
...not a shock here. Avery has pretty much been blackballed in the NHL.
Update, 9:25 p.m.:
Torts full quotes on waiving Avery...
"I think we have better players than Sean Avery, plain and simple," Tortorella said. "I can dodge it 10 different ways without trying to run Sean over -- I thought he had a good camp, but I think the makeup of our team and some of the people we've added and some of the youth we've added as far as depth put Sean in this spot. I wish him good luck in everything, but we've gone by that. I think we're a better club. The players that are here are better than Sean Avery. They're more versatile in a lot of different areas.
"I'm trying to do this the right way because I don't want to keep on shoveling dirt over Sean Avery, but we have better players than Sean Avery right now on the hockey club."
...geez I'd hate to hear what Torts has to say about someone he is trying to shovel dirt over.
Also on the Avery salary front apparently the information I posted below was incorrect according to the Blue Seat Blogs...
"...if the Rangers put Avery on regular waivers and is claimed by a third team, then team 3 assumes the Rangers' responsibilities. The Stars and team 3 now split Avery's salary & cap hit.
If Avery isn't claimed and clears waivers, but the Rangers later recall him from the minors and another team claims him on the way back up, team 3 splits the cost with the Rangers. Dallas is now off the hook."
Update, 4:25 p.m.:
Torts on waiving Avery...
"We think we have a better team, and think we have better players than Sean Avery...our depth put Sean in this spot"
Torts on Christensen...
"Erik is a guy who can play PP, help on shootouts...maybe bump him up into top six forward if he can be consistent"
For more on the Avery situation click on the "Read More" tab below.
Quotes via Rangers Twitter account.
...top six forward? Torts has ot be kidding me.
Update, 1:11 p.m.:
If Avery goes unclaimed then the Rangers put him on re-entry waivers at any point and is claimed, Dallas still pays $2 million. Then Rangers and the claiming team would pay $1 million each. (Via Puck Daddy)
Update, 1:02 p.m.:
Torts' quote on Avery as a TSN commentator after 'Sloppy Seconds' incident (via Puck Daddy)...
"He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the [Dallas Stars'] 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 league."
...that pretty much says it all.
Update, 12:51 p.m.:
Rangers have also put Brendan Bell and Stu Bickel on waivers.
...i understand that this will allow the Rangers to send them down to the Whale once Staal and Sauer are ready to return, but why chance them being claimed before Friday's game?
Update, 12:24 p.m.:
Dale Weise was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks today.
Update, 12:22 p.m.:
Avery was officially placed on waivers at noon.
Avery's agent was told by the Rangers that if he clears he will be sent to the CT Whale.
Update, 12:14 p.m.:
Pat Leonard at The Blueshirts Blog reports that Avery would not comment when he stepped off the bus with his teammates at their hotel in Stockholm at around 11:30 a.m. ET.
Original Post:
TSN reports that the Rangers will be placed on waivers at noon today.
According to his agent Pat Morris, playing in Europe is among the options for his client should he clear waivers.
...wow!!!! I cannot believe this. Christensen showed absolutely nothing these last two games that should give him the job over Avery.
...hate to say it but this is a personal decision by Torts.
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A complete mistake, just hope he doesn't get picked up by one of our rivals. Horrible move Torts, put the team before your personal opinion
Yeah I dont know if I can agree with Torts here. Avery as a Devil or Flyer, could you imagine?
Dislike...IMMENSELY!!! Terrible move. My question is...who's the lucky guy who gets to catch Torts' shit now that Avery's gone? Any volunteers?
I agree this was a personal move ec seems to just disappear 99% of the time he is out there....while avery may not be the best player he helps gain momentum for the team and gets under peoples skin to draw penalties/lose focus
No. They should have waived EC. Disappointed that Avery isn't going to be on the team this year :(
Dumb. Avery is much more valueable against the Devils, Flyers, Pens, Fishsticks, Bruins than Christensen against any other team.
I'm with all you, hell at this point why waste the roster spot on ec let a kid play, torts has never wanted the avery we love and his game has suffered, I just hope this doesn't end up biting us if he lands in the east
Total bullshit. Torts never had any intention of keeping Avery around, so there was no point in making it sound like he had any chance of making this team. And then you even bring the guy all the way to Europe for nothing?? Did he even play one fucking game over there? Total dick move by Torts.
Worked a 12 hour shift and just sat down to read the news on Sean Avery. 133 comments so far! I think that is an indication of the passion Sean Avery elicits in Rangers fans. Some people saw him as a trouble maker and a player who failed to make the best use of his talents. Others enjoyed his enthusiasm, his brashness and the way he challenged his opponents. For me personally, I would say it was his fearlessness. And the excitement of not knowing just what he would get himself into next. Hockey players can be a bit one dimensional, but Sean was different. He was not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. And remember, for the couple of off ice issues created by his comments, he was never suspended for any dirty play.
Finally, I don't think Tortorella every gave him the chance. They were oil and water from the start and that was never going to change. I know some of you guys are fans of Torts, but to me he has proven nothing. Other than being a hot head, nasty and childish. Not to mention extremely impatient when formulating line combinations. And Avery is certainly not the reason the Rangers can't score. If that doesn't change, well that's another discussion.
Let the season begin...
Maybe Avery will end up playing in Europe. Maybe he'll end up helping to spread the NHL over there the way Anders Hedberg has talked about for so long.
My apologies if this was already posted, but I uncharacteristically agree with pretty much everything Larry Brooks said:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/sean_gone_XLS8UTsWblvP8kFlQp5C1K
Torts needs to go to the Joe Girardi school of managing diplomacy. What goes on with individual player, for the most part, stays within the team. Take AJ & how to the press he defended him. Not so sure that's what went on behind closed doors. Just look how Torts often addresses anyone from the press who questions anything he has done. I think he's a tempermental man who can't really deal with anyone questioning his decisions. He could probably use a few lessons in public speaking. I don't really care what he says in the club house but that stuff should remain there. The public image sure needs work.
I better be careful. He might throw a water bottle at me!
Keep in mind, we are all watching this saga from the blue seats. Nobody on this blog know what's happening or happened in the locker room for the past 2 years. Do you really think that Torts holds a grudge over comments that Sean Avery made about an NHL player that Torts has no ties to whatsoever? He made those comments because he was a TV analyst and had to pick a side and keep in is role. He's not some bible wielding hardcore preacher who is out to rid the world of vile speech, as I'm sure we'll see in 24/7. And do you really think Avery was a little obedient puppy from the day Torts got here and did everything ther coach asked him to do while also being on his best behavior and being a great lockeroom presence that his teammates admired and looked up to? For all we know, Avery was a prick to everyone, including Torts and Sather. We can all be angry that a fan favorite is gone, but there may have been no other choice. I find it a bit revealing that there have been no teammate quotes, even from his "buddy" Richards. May he just wore out his welcome and everyone was done with him. Time to move on, this team is much bigger than 1 role player!
@gravey94 I am sure the players have more on their minds now than commenting on Sean. Furthermore, would any of the writers over there even attempt to ask them a question about Sean? I am more interested in what Sean has to say. I long for the day when he just lays it all out there and tells his side of the saga. I'd pay just about anything for that book!
No way they recall him since the Rangers will have to pay half his salary for him to play with a different team. Avery's career as a ranger is over.
Though I'm kinda suprised by the news at the end of the day who cares. Good ridense. Team needs to move forward. Why make excuses for dead weight. At the end of the day we do want a winning team. The only way avery contributes is in contract years. Then his sloppy second rangers team is the only place where he can thrive. Wake the fuck up. Theres a reason why he has been from team to team in his career. This team will be fine without him.
@ToddWiddows Team to team? Avery has been with us for the last 5 seasons (this would have been his 6th.) He loves it in NY and we love him here. Even Torts was only in Tampa for 6 1/2 seasons, you wanna accuse him of jumping around? What about Richie, who was only with Dallas for 4 years before bailing? Take your head out of your ass before you speak.
@ToddWiddows This is a contract year for Avery so that part of your argument is contradictory.
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Someone wanna remind me how many Stanley cup rings avery has opposed to torts enough said.
you guys are all crazy. you're talking about avery as if he would make such a dramatic impact on our run for a cup. get over it. he is a lot impact player with a tendency to run his mouth into trouble. those who are piling it on Torts have to really think about what he's done for this team over the past few years. he has championed this young-kids first approach that has given us our identity. you think without Torts pressuring Slats we would have kept the kids and developed them like this?
this was a battle for the 13th forward. the impact will be minimal. mjm put it perfectly. 2.29 PM / game and 0.04 goals / game. and for every penalty he draws, he takes a stupid one soon after. he's had a number of years to prove himself. he has become less and less effective. if you want to blame that on Torts then you're delusional. he' had his chances. with the arrest in the offseason and all the other bullsh*t and the fact that avery will be scrutinized by every ref in the game (Torts' fault too?) it was time for him to go.
that being said, EC is not the answer. i agree with an earlier post about that he is obviously not the answer. i think this is a cap move + avery not what Torts was looking for + an opportunity for one of the younger kids to come up sometime this year.
this is gonna be an awesome year. avery didn't fit. and i don't think he was too harsh on avery. he wasn't good enough, plain and simple. there's the only answer Torts needs. and im sure Torts knows his team a little better than we do.
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@boogiepicker I think you've almost completely missed the point, my friend. I think what the people (in the nearly 112 comments here) are saying is that Avery should never have been in a race for 13, but coach never gave him a chance to be anything else.
Sean has gotten a raw deal from Torts every since his return. Coach has never given him a reasonable amount of minutes or a good look. "I know what kind of player Sean is," he said. Does he, though? Does he really? Even with shit minutes, on shit lines Sean had 21 assists last season (and more assists to Gabby than any other player on the team and he had trouble getting back to back shifts with Gabby, let alone back to back nights).
There is no reason Sean should not have had a good hard look as the missing line 1 left this season. His skills (and the areas of the ice he plays) complement Gabby and Richie very well, but did Torts see it? Nope. Did he even consider it? Nope.
Sean has always been an impact player for us. (Take a close look at the wins and losses with him in the lineup during Renny's time and Torts', trust me he makes a difference, even with the bullshit minutes Torts gave him.) I think in the end Coach saw what he wanted to in Sean, and more than anything didn't want to have to eat his own words about "what kind of player Sean is."
This isn't about Sean Avery, it never was. It's about John Tortorella and his ridiculous ego.
Agreed. If the race was between EC and Avery, I can't see how Avery gets cut and EC stays. EC was transparent in preseason (just like most of last season). Personally, if you are going to cut Avery, then cut EC also and let one of the kids learn at the NHL level.
Sean Avery averaging 2.29 penalty mins a game and .04 goals a game last season is not worthy of making this team. With the penalty shot skill points do matter (come on marek malik would be long forgotten if not for 1 point) so for me EC is the easy choice. I have been a huge Sean Avery fan since the second he became a Ranger. And as a gay hockey fan I'm even more appreciative of the issues he has the balls to stand for which no other professional athlete will. But he doesn't bring the Rangers closer to the cup
Yes but EC averaged .18 goals per game last year and he got PP time. Match that with the effort Avery put into most games as opposed to EC's lack of effort and I still say this was a personal act by Torts. As a coach you have to put your personal issues aside and do what's right for the team as a whole.
Comments from Torts regarding Avery unprofessional....truly makes you wonder. Avery's fans will support & follow his career whatever path it may take!
@23NYR68 he could've at least had the decency to be respectful about it. he can be such an ass. everything he called avery in his comment after the sloppy seconds incident he was exactly in his comments about Aves. just straight up disrespectful.
Avery has never said one cross word about Torts, his benching and limited ice time last season, Christensen publicly accusing him of 'sucker-punching' an opposing player, nothing. I don't know what was said behind closed doors, but he never threw anyone under the bus like Torts did. I guess Torts is setting an example of how he wants his team to behave. Building character, my ass. But make damn sure no one steps on the Rangers logo in the locker room... @23NYR68
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Thanks Kevin for posting Torts' full quote. Just proves he has no class. I think I'm even more mad now than I was when he passed Dubi over for the 'A.'
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I admit I have a soft spot for Sean (he's adorable) and I will always want him with the team. He belongs in NYC. For whatever reason, his play fell off and with other players (Prust and now possibly Rupp) his particular skill set isn't really as valued. I just think the way it all went down was crappy. His agent told him last April that his days were numbered, so he should come to camp ready to prove himself and I think he did. He wasn't out of shape and seemed eager to go. What gets me upset is he never was given the chance to play with the NHL players for the whole camp. If Torts truly want to give him a shot, he would have played him. I lost a little respect for Torts in all this. If this was his plan (and the organization's plan), don't make it seem like Sean and EC were battling for the last spot because now since he opened his mouth, he just looks like a liar.
@KevinDeLury Thank you and what do I get for being number 100? It's been a long, crappy day so I'll take anything. :)
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wooo easy with the torts hate, who would be better for this team? Seriously. Everyone has to make hard decisions and sometimes the population disagree but that doesnt mean you chase them down to the town square and burn them at the stake. Every person in power has to make big decisions. I dont agree with it but I do like torts and think hes right for this team.
Just posted full Torts quote on waiving Avery and also a correction on Avery salary situation. Man Torts piled on Avery.
Sorry I've been out of the loop here. I had a nasty virus on my computer. Think I was able to get it. Ayway. Live chat starts in an hour.
