Make no mistake, Brooksie has never had great love for Sean - but Brooksie has also had no great love for Torts or Slats. In this instance, Brooks is actually calling things as he sees them, and he sees it the way Mike, jb and I do.
This morning, Larry called it right, Avery was never given a chance by the coach - even though he would have been a very valuable member of this team.
If you read between the lines, Sather likes Sean, but the coach would not play him. So, Sather did what was best for the salary situation now that he needed cap space for Mara or someone like him with Staal hurt. He let Sean go since the cap space was better used to get a player the coach would play.
We need be honest. The coach had his reasons. While Sean has the talent of a first line left winger, he is not consistent and attracts negative attention. The refs hate him and penalize him. But, in my view, Torts could not see beyond the negatives. The positives were overwhelming.
In a difficult playoff game, when going into the corner for a puck means you are going to get hit hard, would you rather have Christensen on your line or Sean? When you play Philly or Boston would you feel better if Sean were with your team or Christensen, Wolski and Zuccarello?
Sean might be a character, but he has character. In losing him, the Rangers lost more than a good man, they lost a piece of their soul.
He was literally in a tie for 13th forward with Christensen and replaced by Rupp & Prust. Good riddance.
That's right it takes two guys to replace one Avery. Good observation.
Yes,say good-bye to one of the team's testicles.
If the cap hit is the reason, then Wolski (and his 3.8 mil) should be waived not Avery's 1.9. Wolski better show up this year...
i love avery im not even getting tickets now! and yes im a chick so i partly love him cause he happens to be gorgeous but he is also a good player that just didnt get the time on the ice he deserved.
As I said before, I neither love nor hate Avery. I just think it is shortsighted not to even try Avery with Richards and Gaborik. They need a guy who is good in the corners and will draw defenders to him while the "talent" dishes the puck into the net.
Avery has skill and hockey sense that we haven't seen since his first appearence on Broadway because he was never on a line long enough to develop any chemistry. That's Tortorella doing.
If Tortorella doesn't move this team past the first round of the playoffs, Sather should seriously think about finding another coach.
Torts now has "his" pieces in place. Time to put up or start shoveling the dirt over his own head.
I agree, Torts has no excuses now, for not taking this team well into the playoffs. If he fails it's all on him now. He's got his boys, now let's see if they play for him.
I don't know if I would have RIP'd Avery yet, a few injuries, and you never know, he could be back.
It was pretty funny when you said Brooksie has never had great love for Avery. Brooks traded his objectivity for access to Avery a long time ago. Brooks has been Averys biggest promoter and defender for years now. Last season no matter what Avery did Brooks found a way to put his name in an article. Brooks didnt even call Avery out for threatening a NY Post writer this summer. Even the writers at Yahoo called Brooks a "Avery Backer". When it comes to Avery and Torts Brooks has no objectivity or shame. The bottom line is Avery was a 3 goal scorer who brings a ton of baggage with him for 2 mill a year.
I think Brooks wrote frequently about Avery for the reason many of the writers who follow the Rangers do. He is good for business. People for whatever reason want to read about Sean Avery. I've seen some blogs, like Rick Carpiniello at Rangers Report, lamenting the fact that their biggest draw is now gone.
Only Greg Wyshynski the Yahoo Puck Daddy called Larry Brooks an "Avery Backer" 5 days ago. But that was purely based on one article Brooks wrote the week prior on Sept 25th. That was where Brooks said Avery had a "higher ceiling" than the other forwards competing for a spot on the team. That is hardly a ringing endorsement by Brooks of Avery. It is not correct to call Brooks an "Avery Backer.' He is better called an "Avery User." Brooks knows that any mention of Sean Avery will get noticed and read. Remember Brooks is the one who wrote a story that was one of the most guilt-presuming indictments of Avery following his arrest in LA. Brooks is clearly not an "Avery Backer."
The baggage that Avery brings to the team is better called "buzz." Do not forget this is really an entertainment business. It's on Broadway and the NHL has to compete for people's attention with other sports like the NBA, NHL, UFC, etc. etc. Avery brings something these other no-names will ever have and that is personality, spirit and passion. He stirs people up. You can keep your milquetoast Euro's who don't speak English very well, and who will disappear back to Prague when it's all said and done. Avery is pure NYC, he's put down roots here, and many fans love him.
I agree with the "entertainment" angle. Avery will be missed - he was one of the few players on the club who isn't a "faceless" cipher to the casual fan. Avery wasn't some anonymous automaton in a high jersey number and a face shield...
He had PERSONALITY.
Also, with Avery gone the Rangers are now sorely lacking in grit.
Yes, we have Prust, Dubinsky and a few others who give 100%, but Avery was a "disturber," a "sh*t-slinger," an "antagonist" par excellence.
Avery could always provide a shot of adrenaline when the Rangers are flat. (ie: frequently.)
He could draw penalties, throw the other team's players off their game, get under the skin of opponents.... Don't tell me a Wolski, a Fedotenko or a retread like Rupp will compete with anywhere NEAR the intensity #16 did.
And getting back to the "entertainment" angle, Avery was plain fun to watch, whether he was baiting the other team's bench, dancing with Brodeur, or even giving outspoken interviews.
I fully blame Tortorella for Avery's deportation.
I will abide a Coach who is a blowhard and a jerk if it means a Stanley Cup.
(see: 1994; Keenan; Michael)
I will not abide him if it means another year squeaking into the post-season and a first-round exit.
This team sorely lacks grit, lacks an edge, lacks spirit.
Dump Tortorella, and
Bring back Avery!!!!
This group of Occupy Wall Street demonstrators should be turned into "Occupy MSG" until Avery comes home.
The Rangers getting rid of Avery is like the WWE and Vince McMahon getting rid of his top villain: somebody like a CM Punk, or Sgt. Slaughter, or Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Of course, Vince won't do that to his top "heels", he needs those guys. Do you think other GM's like to see the Rangers with Avery come into their building? I'm not saying Avery will draw that many fans, but the ones that come will certainly get fired up. He might be one of the few hockey players that non-NHL fans know of.
Avery=Awesome its that simple awesome skater awesome to watch he is already being missed!