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Is Sean Avery headed to the AHL?

Sean Avery

Hockey fans from coast to coast may have their hockey fantasies filled this season. For all of the people who have been living on Sean Avery flavored Hatorade, there’s some rather intriguing news coming out of New York. The diminutive pest has been sliding down the Rangers’ depth chart for a while—now he might be sliding all the way down to the Connecticut Whale in the AHL. Somewhere Wayne Simmonds is sitting with an evil smirk on his face.

It’s not exactly breaking news that Avery hasn’t looked great for the Rangers this offseason. He hasn’t looked awful either—which is precisely the problem. His play on the ice has been relatively invisible. For a guy who carries a $3.9 million cap hit and plays for a team that has a history of burying contracts in the minors, Avery’s player profile this preseason puts him in a precarious position.

Christopher Botta at the New York Times Slap Shot blog discusses Avery’s tenuous situation:

“Avery appears to trail Mats Zuccarello for the final forward position available and is joined in the battle for a job by the youngsters Dale Weise and Carl Hagelin and the veteran shootout specialist Erik Christensen. The Rangers possess more depth than they’ve had in years. Unless Avery shines in the team’s final five preseason games, starting Monday in Philadelphia, he could be placed on waivers and start the season with the minor league affiliate in Connecticut.”

Avery’s position is tough to figure in the NHL. When he’s walking the right side of that fine line between pest and troublemaker, he’s proven to be one of the most effective players in the league. He can simultaneously inspire his team while frustrating the opponent with his brand of hockey. Unfortunately, that style isn’t seen on a nightly basis.

More recently, Avery has either crossed the line or more likely, played uninspired hockey that makes him easily replaceable. When he’s out there and not creating havoc, then what’s the difference between him and a hungry, up-and-coming rookie who gets paid $3 million less per season? Does he bring enough to the table to justify keeping him on the roster?

That’s exactly the question Rangers management has been forced to deal with this preseason.

This wouldn’t be the first time he was forced to exit stage right from an NHL team—but this time it’s a little different. When he was traded from the Detroit Red Wings to the Los Angeles Kings, he was a young player with potential that the Kings were excited to acquire. When he was traded from the Kings—it was for the sole purpose of removing his attitude from the locker room. He proved with the Rangers that he could be a valuable player when playing with controlled emotion and parlayed it into a big free agent contract with the Dallas Stars. A “sloppy seconds” joke and a second stint on Broadway later, Avery could be looking at the end of his second chances.

He’ll have the rest of the preseason to prove that he’s a worthwhile asset to the Rangers roster. If for no other reason, it would be great to see him stick with the club through December to see his act on HBO’s 24/7. But if he doesn’t step it up, the Connecticut Whale are going to have the most expensive team in AHL history.

Maybe he could room with Wade Redden.