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Rangers allowing Avery to 'audition' a risky move

February 12, 2009 11:46 AM | Posted by   Jeff Marek  

So, Glen Sather, do you want the player or not?

I’m still scratching my head over the New York Rangers' move to not only place Dallas Stars bad boy Sean Avery on their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, but to also allow the player to demonstrate he’s fit to return and play at the big league level again.

Think about it: The Rangers want Sean Avery in their lineup. We can all agree on that, right? It’s a team in need of a kick in the pants and perhaps more importantly an identity. There are too many second-tier, undernourished players being paid first-tier money. Top first-tier money at that, many would be quick to point out.

Avery gives Rangers 'a swagger'

They missed out on Mats Sundin and have a hard time making any significant deals due to their salary cap situation. Goals are an issue New York, but so is confidence. This team has blown too many third-period leads and been on the wrong side of one-goal games too many times.

With Avery in their lineup, they had a swagger - a New York vibe about them. The Rangers looked like they came from New York every time Avery was on the game sheet.

Explain it?

I can’t.

Nobody can really, but the evidence speaks for itself. With Sean Avery in the Rangers lineup they are just a better team.

Risky audition

So given that Rangers general manager Glen Sather believes Avery can stir the drink again on Broadway, why would you let him audition for the rest of the league and give them a peek under the hood? Pretty risky, wouldn’t you say?

Now, judging from everyone around him that I’ve spoken to including his agent Pat Morris and one of his closest friends, Avery is a different guy now since going through the NHLPA Behavioural Program.

He’s reflective, mellow, thoughtful, and doesn’t feel the desire to play fingernails-on-a-chalkboard anymore. He’s shown genuine remorse for his past actions and he’d like to put that part of his life in the past and move forward with a clear head and a renewed dedication to the sport he fell in love with as a young boy in Pickering, ON. He’s spent a lot of time apologizing and considering what type of life he wants for himself both personally and professionally.

If you listen to the quotes Rangers players have been giving lately, it appears - and I’m certain this is the case - that all the key members of the Gotham Blueshirts have been spoken to about bringing in one of the most … OK … the most-hated man in hockey. And they’re cool with it. Mind you, it’s tough for any player to say otherwise especially after losing 10-2 in Dallas and then 3-0 to the New Jersey Devils at home, but you get the point.

But hold on a second. If the Rangers really want Avery that badly (and it appears they do) and feel he can not only contribute but also comes at the right price ($1.9 million US, which is even under what the Rangers tried to get him for last summer), why would you gamble that nobody else claims him on re-entry waivers?

Available at cost?

I know the chances are slim, but what if Avery lights it up in the American Hockey League? What if he shows that this is a healthy Sean Avery both on and off the ice? When Avery was shopping his services last summer in the $4-million range many teams balked due to both price point and reputation. However, chop that salary in half and many teams may sing a different tune. And by holding an audition in the AHL, every team in the league will have a peek and make another decision about Avery.

As of today, there are 21 teams beneath the Rangers whose waiver claim would trump New York’s. So why not just ask the Stars to place Avery on recallable waivers right now before he’s played any games. Will he be at the top of his game right away? Not a chance. But this isn’t just about this season, this is about securing the services of one of the most effective players the Rangers have had in years for the next three campaigns at just under $2 million per.

If you can convince Dallas to put him on waivers now you instantly scare off some teams who do not want to take the gamble. There’s no reason to think the Stars won’t oblige. Besides, the team would love to finally put this saga behind them and have the perfect sports cover of the Alex Rodriguez saga to hide the story in the back of the sports pages. Avery wouldn’t be the first athlete to regret what he did in Texas while playing in New York.

Sure, signing Sean Avery is risky proposition, but considering you already know you want him and understand how he can help your team, isn’t giving the rest of the league underneath you a shot at him a bigger gamble?

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