Sean Avery returns to New York-ish

Sean Avery has resurfaced as top news with his return from banishment.  He recently completed his NHL-Mandated anger management therapy and was added back to the Dallas Roster, forcing Dallas to send Chris Conner back to the minors.

Yesterday was an eventful day for Sean, starting with a plane trip to Dallas where he spent about 6 hours in town for a visit with the Stars team doctors to clear a medical release so he could play in the minors.  Concurrently the Stars announced that Sean had cleared waivers and rumors resumed regarding his placement in the AHL, where it was assumed he would join the Hartford Wolfpack to prove he was ready to play again.

This morning the rumors were confirmed that New York wanted Sean back as his first practice with the Wolfpack began and quotes were released from GM Glen Sather, Sean Avery, and Rangers coach Tom Renny:

"I would like to thank Glen Sather and the Rangers organization for giving me the chance to resume my hockey career by affording me this opportunity with the Hartford Wolf Pack. I am looking forward to getting back on the ice, working my way back to the NHL and playing the game I love. While I appreciate the many interview requests, at this point in time, I would like to focus on hockey and will not be making any further statements while with the Wolf Pack." - Sean Avery

"Sean and the Dallas Stars approached me looking for an American Hockey League team for him to resume playing, and I am happy to provide him with the opportunity to continue his career. Sean was a good player for the Rangers during his time here and has worked extremely hard off the ice over the last two months. He remains under contract to and property of the Stars, therefore, any further comment would be inappropriate." - Glen Sather

"Sean's a good hockey player. He can help anybody he plays for, there's no question about that.  This is a guy who could play and was a great teammate, and was always there for his teammates and laid it on the line every single night. How could you not admire that?" - Tom Renny

I know Avery did well in New York the past 2 years, but doesn't it sound a bit too much like Renny is hoping Sean is the Rangers' love child?  During his time in the AHL, then Detroit, then the LA Kings and finally here in Dallas the only person to speak so highly of Sean was Brett Hull, and you can see how that worked out for him.  Doesn't this make you wonder, exactly what kind of "anger management" therapy do the Rangers' front office actually think he went through?

One last thing to remember, New York, this is not a done deal.  When they decide they are ready for him he has to go back through recall waivers, which is where they are expected to claim him and will assume half his salary.  Before they can claim him, however, EVERY TEAM in the league that is lower in the standings then them will have an opportunity to claim him.  Les Jackson is rumored to have stated other teams have an interest in Sean.

The question is, which team has the balls to actually take him on?

Remarks from a Rangers fan - after the Stars dramatic loss to Martin Broduer and John Madden

... because really, those are the two guys that owned the game!  After a game like last night it's hard to find anything worth talking about - I think most fans want to take our referee chants (like A rope, a tree, lets hang the referee) and reword them for ... well ... ANYONE on the Stars.

But as I skimmed through the blogs and news articles on the web I found this great one from the perspective of a Rangers fan who wanted to follow the Avery Circus around the New York area:

What resulted was a clinical dissection of Dallas by Jersey's regimented offense in front of maybe, maybe 7,000 fans. The Dallas Stars that beat the Rangers on Monday were nowhere to be found, as were the Devil fans, who stayed away in droves. On the ice, the Marty Turco that was there to stop every Blueshirt break through the Star defense didn't show up. The Turco who made it to Newark pulled himself grossly out of position twice to allow a pair of amateurish goals on his way to being yanked for a Swedish kid who had 110 minutes of NHL time before taking the Rock ice.

To be fair, Scotty Hockey, the blogger responsible for this well-written description of our boys' (yes, last night they were truly boys) foul attempt to play AHL level hockey, was as mean to the Devils as he was to the Stars; the difference was it seemed his hatred towards the Devils was of a rivalry, and his distasteful words for the Stars were purely driven by their untoward play.

They looked so awkward on the ice last night that each and every one of the contracts should be nullified.  In fact, I have a new way to pay them - purely based on their performance each game:

• Their first goal of the game, a player earns $10,000.  Each goal there-after earns double the previous payment, thus, goal 2 is worth $20,000, goal 3 is worth $40,000 and goal 5 would then be worth $160,000.
• First Assists are worth 25% of that goal's value, second Assists are worth 50% of that.  However, this amount comes out of the player's check who scores the goal.  Thus, the player who scores his 5th goal in a game must pay $40,000 to whomever got the First Assist and $20,000 for the Second Assist.  This still earns the goal scorer $100,000 for that goal; nevermind how much they earned for their first 4.
• Hits would also be worth something, lets say $500 to start, thereafter they can grow exponentially as well.

Goalies are a bit more difficult, they don't make hits, usually don't make assists, and almost never make goals.  Goalies could get paid by ...

• The saves.  Let's say a goalie blocks 30 shots in a game: $1,500 per blocked shot would earn them $45,000 for that game (which, by the way, is worth $3.7mil per year).
• Not all saves are equal though - lets say a save based on a turnover which gives the offense a 2-on-1 advantage: $1,750; 3-on-1 $2,000.  Penalty shot?  $3,000 - and the extra $1,500 comes from the player who is serving the penalty!

This is BY NO MEANS an exact or fully-thought out system, but something like this is SURE to force players to work smarter, not harder; not only that but it will force players who play as abysmal as our boys did last night leave the league if they can't begin to perform - for it's those players who would be paying the other players' salaries.

Do I think this would actually work?  Not likely, but it's something to think about.  Do I want this to happen to the Stars?  No, but I'm at a loss what else could make them pull their heads out of those cavities they've found themselves in and begin playing like the skilled TEAM that they truly are.

Scotty Hockey, thanks for the inspiration to write this column today.  I really wasn't in the mood but the minute I read your post I became filled with such rage at my boys that the above filth just started pouring out.

Hey Stars, how about tonight against the Islanders you actually show up, as the proud NHL players that you are, and just ENJOY yourselves.  We go through this every season - you forget to ENJOY hockey and you go on a skid.  Last March, you forgot, but the minute you remembered you actually made it to the Western Conference Finals.  This October you've forgotten, and now you're risking your chances of ... well ... they say you can't make the playoffs in October, but you can sure make it difficult to do so if you keep this up.

NHL "Playground Rule" now in effect

The NHL has finally gotten sick of Rangers' Sean Avery's antics and made a rule, just for him. Some quick background first: in case you missed his antics this weekend against Martin Brodeur, check out this video on YouTube:

Yes, that's right Avery is now bringing the NHL back to the minors; no wait, to the Pee Wee leagues; no wait, they have more class than that; it doesn't even qualify for Hanson brothers stuff because it's not actually offensive enough. This was just lame and childish; I can't believe the NHL had to react to something like this, not because they shouldn't but because it just should not have happened. "Get in their face" does not mean "say NAH NAH NAH NAH" and flail your arms wildly. I'm so glad Avery isn't in our conference anymore.

That said, the NHL did, in fact, decide it inappropriate enough to respond to, not only that, but they made an IN-SEASON amendment to the rules:

An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender's face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play," Colin Campbell, the NHL director of hockey operations said in a statement.

Thank you Mr Campbell, for reminding Avery we're adults, not kids on the playground.

Round 3, FIGHT!

26 teams down, 3 to go. The 2^nd round of this years playoffs was an exciting non-stop race and, not to talk in clichés but the best teams did in fact win.

Red Wings v Sharks
Hockey Town USA has had a hard time selling out their games, but that hasn’t slowed down their game. Coming into this series many people expected to see the Sharks come out on top, and why not? They’re a strong, young team whose drive can’t be beat … but experience won out in this series and Round 2 went to Detroit … maybe next year Shark Tank, maybe next year.

Ducks v Canucks
It’s not that I’m happy the ‘nucks didn’t make round two, I don’t hold a grudge against them for taking out my Stars in 8 games in Round 1, really, I don’t. It’s just they were nowhere near the stronger team going into Round 2. Vancouver is one of the best teams I’ve ever seen at adapting to new situations and play styles, but just like we can say about Dallas in Round 1, you can’t expect your goalie to win every game for you. And not for nothing, this Ducks team is amazing.

Sabres v Rangers
My heart sat in Maddison Square Garden this series, and after a rough opening 2 games I had given up, but when the Rangers brought it home, they brought out the big guns. Goalkeeping was strong in both Miller, and one of my favorite goalies Henrik Lundqvist. Leadership was strong in both Jagr and Drury (who went to high school in my home town, by the way). I was incredibly proud of the Rangers, they were amazing in Round 1, and they didn’t give up in Round 2 fighting to tie it at 2-2 before losing, but the Sabres were strong all season. I’ve said it before, these guys played the ENTIRE SEASON to win it all, and they just might (maybe).

Devils v Senators
This one was an easy call for me. Martin Broduer is one of the best goaltenders the NHL has ever seen, but you can not rely on your goaltender like that: played 78 games, totaled over 4600 minutes averaging OVER 60 minutes per game. Not only that but you can NOT take away the man that brought your team to the playoffs with three games left in the regular season. And lets not discount a Senators team that is playing the best they’ve played all season who have a goalie (I’m sensing a theme) who is playing his top game. Maybe around the All-Star break I’d have given more props to the Devils for this series, but in my opinion they didn’t have a chance – heck, I was surprised they beat the Lightning!

So where does that leave us? That’s right, Conference Finals are here - and in no way are these games easy to pick.

Red Wings v Ducks
My favorite in this series is the Ducks, but let me reiterate how hard it is to make these decisions. Maybe I’m just upset that the Hockey Town USA isn’t pulling its weight in ticket sales, maybe I just want to see the Pacific Division make the playoffs – but watch for a long, fast paced, high shooting series, and expect the goalie who can keep his cool the longest to win.

Sabres v Senators
I feel like I’m cheating and I think I’ve flip-flopped on this decision as many times as most of the senators in the House of Representatives on the War in Iraq, but here’s my call and I’ll stick with it through the end of the series. The Sabres will lose; the Senators will make the Stanley Cup Finals. Yeah, that’s right – they already won a spectacular Game 1, 5 to 2 (honestly beating Miller 4 times) and it’s going to continue. Don’t get me wrong, this will be a dog fight; after this game the Sabres will come back swinging, but in the end we will see one Canadian team in the finals.

I bet you want to know my picks for the Cup, don’t you? Too bad, that’s for me to know, I’ll share it with you in a couple weeks.