Sean Avery Officially Announces Retirement
"The New York Rangers would have beaten the New Jersey Devils if Sean Avery was on the team this year."
Here's the full interview...
...there's been a lot of ups and downs with Avery during his tenure with the Rangers, but I'm going to miss the guy. His acquisition gave the franchise a shot in the arm when it was desperately needed and Rangers fans should never forget that.
...man, I would have killed to see Avery against the Devils last spring. I agree with the "Grate One," he could have been the difference in that series.
H/T to reader Nick H.
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I miss watching Sean Avery getting under the skin of opposing team members. He could definitely get the opposing teams scorers off the ice and into the penalty box, or get them so agitated to take them off their game. I am a lifelong fan of the Stanley Cup Champions Los Angeles Kings, and I loved to see him play. But the cost was too high because of all the other s..t he would do off the ice even with his own teamates. He was a cancer on the team. His teammates hated him. I saw Sean just completely runover with a huge hit and Not One of his teammates came to make sure he was ok and back him up. It's sad in a way, because when he was a little kid growing up dreaming of one day playing in the NHL, then when he get's there blows. It all up.
I'm not saying that I agree with what Avery said, but I never thought he deserved to be cut from the team(twice) last season. In his few minutes a game that Torts let him play he definitely put forth a winning effort and was racking up impressive numbers for someone with his amount of ice time. Anyway I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. If what we heard he did to his Whale coach is true, then who knows what it was really like dealing with him at hockey games. He has proven throughout his career that he can be his own worst enemy at times.
if he was talented he wouldnt have been dropped. help beat the devils? did he watch the series? the rags were dominated
He would have thrown fat shit Marty off his game as he always did and it would have helped us a lot , you're lying to yourself if you say he wouldn't have, to still be blaming refs is stupid.
I agree with Avery. Whatever anyone says about him or his antics, when he was on the line, he got shit done!
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I think it's a shame that Torts never got past his personal dislike of Avery - Avery was a team player and very easily could have been a spark and a solid contributor all season but clearly in the playoffs and especially against NJ! I personally will miss seeing Avery in a Rangers jersey!
Yea, his playoff scoring prowess would have been a huge difference! Th Rangers din't take nearly enough penalties so he certainly would have helped there. God, I can't believe he's still a topic!
What an arrogant moron, you're not a factor anymore. Enjoy your time in the fashion industry.
avery would have been would have made affective last spring just for the mere fact that whenever he got the puck he would put it on net, and against fatso a few of them would have gone in. I still think the handling of Sean Avery has been Tort's biggest mistake with the Rangers. He definitely would have been more productive than Bickle.
The only productive thing Sean Avery could've done for the Rangers in the playoffs was offer sound fashion advice for John Tortorella & his post-game pressers.
Thanks for the memories, Sean. It's time to move on.
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@TheWrage Can't forget Stu Bickel - his impact was way bigger than Avery's could have been, right?
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@TheWrage @Iron Mike None of Sean Avery's "distractions" in his entire career have hurt this team as much as the lack of any sort of offensive gameplan under Torts. Honestly, if you don't have a plan to win the game (other then hope Hank is perfect and a seeing eyed poke finds the back of the net), a guy like Avery is EXACTLY what you need. Let him fire everyone up, and hope you can steal a win while every is "distracted".
@Iron Mike @TheWrage Avery and Bickel would have HAD to be in the lineup together. Once Avery rings the bell, you need a guy like Bickel who can actually win a fight when everyone comes looking to get involved.
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He would't have made a difference because he would have been treated unfairly by the thin-skinned, reactionary goose-stepping-to-Bettman's-orders refs. It's amazing that the league would rather have an overweight adulterer as a face of the league rather than a player who actually advocates for others outside of hockey/ is involved in the community. Sorry Marty, hot dog eating contests don't count.
@JackOfalltrades @AnnoyingJoe the fag campaign. Lol... The world needs more douchebags like you. That's for sure.
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@JackOfalltrades Wow. Hey, the 60's called, they want their backwards-thinking back.
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@AnnoyingJoe gotta agree. the refs wouldve been handing avery penalties before ANY player for either team even hit the ice.
as for the marty comments? ZING! man, you should have heard the jokes flying around this house about him.
"Hi kids! Uncle Marty/Daddy is home!" or, "Have another donut you sister-fucker!" or, "Gee honey, I just dont feel well enough to make it to the family reunion today..." or, "Enjoying that self-imposed 50% salary rollback Marty?"
back to avery. i will miss him. he was polarizing as a person and as a player, that's for sure. in the end he was the anti-hero. he was interesting. he didn't run with the crowd. the nhl needs more personalities like this. he had his moments both good and bad. when he was at his best on the ice, he could pump up the team and the crowd as he got the other team off of their game.
but yeah, this is stil the guy that just referred to himself in the 3rd person while talking about how he would have been a deciding factor in the rangers/devils series. that's kinda "douchey" and also part of the whole package. either way, thanks sean.
@AnnoyingJoe It made it alot easier for the refs to come after Aves when he didn't have anyone in his corner. The refs would trot Aves to the box for the smallest offense and Torts almost seemed excited to chew out Aves in agreement with them. He was just thrilled to have his TSN commentary vindicated! "Sean Avery is a bad, bad, player... WE TEACH THAT!"
@BuckarooClub yes but it was still the refs that essentially neutered him. Torts didn't help but even if he was in his corner it wouldn't have made a difference. torts feeling vindicated (which I'm sure he did) was swecondary.
@AnnoyingJoe @KevinDeLury im almost 100 percent positive that will come a couple of years down the road!
I actually wanted Avery on the team. He woulda pressured the Devils. Would he have helped sure. How much would he have? Can't say the team couldn't score. It's insane to think he would have solved all they're problems. It's a shame of going out on terms of class he goes out monday nite quarterbacking claiming things u can't possible prove. No honorable in my eyes
I'm confused, when was Avery a sniper? Because thats what the Rangers needed in that series.
What a shame. I know he's no Crosby or Ovi, but he makes an argument for one of the biggest wastes of talent I've seen. He was the best at what he did AND he could play first line minutes when he wanted to! He could have been such an ASSet to this team if he could have just got his head on straight.
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG It's hard to get your "head on straight" when you can't play your game. Avery had a decent skill set, and was able to squeeze more out of it with his ability to agitate. When players were worked up about him, and off their game, he was good enough to capitalize and make some plays.
You've gotta give a guy room to work if you want him to do his job, and something Torts ego wouldn't let him do.
We could have used Avery alot more then just in the Devils series, and you CAN'T dodge that 10 different ways.
I like the way he had to have the last word! In reality, Rangers were out muscled by Devils, but not intimidated..... with the way the games were reffed, don't thinks Avery would have been the difference..... Gaborik with a healthy shoulder WOULD have been the difference....
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Love this cat and def gonna miss him. I work down in Tribeca and the things he's done down here to the neighborhood are amazing. And I gotta say, I have to agree with his statement - Torts will never admit it but we could've used his play/antics down the stretch without a doubt.
Avery added some spice to the mix...I was there in November when he returned. It was such an excellent game. Sad that he won't be back, despite a 'few' things he pulled - HA!! Wishing you the best, Aves. Glad you're a NY'er. We need you here.
