Gotta give Sean Avery credit for one thing that is absolutely for certain.
He drives traffic on this blog. Holy smokes was this place buzzin’ for an off-day, preseason day, yesterday.
Over 9,000 visits, probably the most since the Brad Richards signing, about 700 comments on two threads. Shut the front door.
The wildly crazy support/love/worship of Avery; the out-and-out distaste for Avery; the crazy, the funny, the usual jibberish, the nutso, the sensical.
It ran the whole gamut (there’s a word I can’t use enough on this blog).
When I took over this thing, Tom Renney was on his way out, John Tortorella was on his way in, and Sean Avery was in limbo, about to be transferred to the only team that would take him, even at half price. And every time Avery has been in the news, or made himself some news, this place has exploded.
I can’t thank him enough for that. And I don’t want to be cold. I never got to know him even a little, so I won’t personally miss him. A lot of stuff he did on the ice and off, I thought was a little over the top. On the other hand, a lot of stuff he did on and off the ice, I thought, was pretty admirable.
I wish him luck. I wish, for this blog’s sake, that he didn’t have to leave … or that he comes back somehow. Not counting on that, though.
——————————-
I’m on my way home from Hockeytown, and writing my season previews in the airports and on planes today. The Yankees and Tigers kept me kind of busy the last two days, so now it’s a mad scramble. I hope to post some of the stuff as soon as I get them done … and then follow with predictions, which may or may not appear until after the season is underway, especially now that I have a baseball game in the Bronx Thursday night, and a possible workout there Friday afternoon if the Yankees win Game 5. Then I’ll be seeing more Texas Rangers than New York Rangers for a while.
Before I forget, our friend and fellow Bonehead miked, who works for the Houston Chronicle, has started a hockey blog, so please check him out early and often. You can find it right here, or by going to http://blog.chron.com/hockeystop/
307 Comments
Good morning, boneheads!
Morning Carp, Ilb, ‘heads…
Carp, very smart move on your part trying to stretch out all the Avery love you can get for the blog. Nearly 10k hits in a single day is pretty great! I wonder what tomorrow’s headline/title will be… perhaps… “Good Riddance to Bad RAvery?” Haha, maybe we could have a mini contest today to guess what tomorrow’s headline will be?!
Yesterday was one of the best comedy days in a long while. Lots of laughs throughout the grate one “debate”. Carp, maybe Aves as guest Blogger some day soon?
But those figures are misleading, Carp. The number of page visits was drastically reduced by Torts in the second half of the day.
Since everyone is so hung up over Avery’s declining ice time last year, some more fascinating numbers:
First 41 games: average TOI was 11:46
Last 35 games (scratched for 6): average TOI was 10:37
Or by quarter:
First 21 games: 13:10
Next 20 games: 10:19
Next 21 games: 12:22
Next 14 games (scratched for 6): 7:59
Number of games where Avery played under seven minutes: 6
Good Morning, Fire Torts!
are you using facts LW? you know Avery fans don’t like facts.
LW, I’m more hung up in Avery’s declining production.
First 35 games: 1 G, 14 A
Next 41 games: 2 G, 7 A
hey carp – just to let you know, the second link you posted (maybe you didn’t mean to link it) does not go to blog.chron.com/hockeystop – it seems to be a web portal for gannett email access.
Aves is not a Torts guy, we know that. This was a justified way to dump him with the Staal injury. The need is for an extra d-man.
I am more concerned with how bad three of our starting 6 D suck and will be playing in this weekend’s (real) games.
the last 41 games, CT, Torts did not allow Avery to use a stick. its a testament to how good Avery is that he was able to get 2 goals and 7 helpers without a stick.
Bulldog, you’re saying he goaded the puck into putting itself into the other team’s net? Sign this man to a Sather special (AKA half a decade too long with a full NMC).
By the way, the two comments I always enjoyed coming from the staunchly pro-Avery and ardently anti-Avery camps were:
Pro: Torts put the leash on him
Anti: Avery was always offsides
Somewhat of a juxtaposition where it seems that if Avery truly had a leash on him that would’ve probably prevented more than a few offsides.
Where’d you post this from, the Diplomat’s Club?
I’ve never been an Avery fan, so to speak, but I have always believed in fair play…and he hasn’t gotten it…not from this assembly for the better part.
It’s one thing to have lost patience with his antics, but to
try to sell the story that he was without talent or became an anchor around the team’s neck is balderdash. Cite all the statistics you want, but remember that for several years during the moribund Ranger “attacks” how many times have you found Avery ALONE behind the nets, absorbing the punishment of multiple defenders and digging insistently on pucks along the board behind the nets, getting the puck out to non existent players who ( should have been) in front of the net. One seldom saw Gaborik there…. he of the great acclaim, but Avery was there..he was an excellent skater and he often sacrificed himself for the play…all the things that are important in games, but never show up in the “Stats”, that are so beloved by many in this blog.
Sure, malign the man, and wave a fond good bye to one who wore the blue with pride….I for one wish him well wherever he lands. But to constantly deride him brings no honor to those who do so.
Looks like Erixon is getting the call-up according to Uncle Larry….
Good Morning, 2 Days to go..
Fran
Only speaking for myself, but I’m not (and haven’t been) deriding Avery or claiming he is/was without talent. I’ve said in previous posts that I’m not in the “anti-Avery” camp by any means.
I just find many of the “pro” arguments to be stupidly extreme (“Fire Torts!”) and/or based on supposed facts that don’t actually bear much scrutiny (e.g. that he was playing 5/6 minutes a game for at least half a season).
Dos Dias hasta Hockey sobre hielo!
No Necesitamos Sean. Nos dirigimos el tráfico aquí!
Thanks, Chris. I think it’s fixed now. Is it?
Johnny, “C’mon Mexico City!”
Did youse see that Brandon Dubinsky is going to start on the first line, with Fedotenko playing with Callahan and Anisimov. Not sure where that puts Wolski.
Of course, if Wolski was Avery, people would be screaming that he never got a chance.
Good morning, Sally!
Fran, you may think that centering the puck to nobody is other players ’ fault. Of course, it could be that if Avery actually passed the puck to a teammate, that would be a better play. If the people think that Avery is so great, let’s see how many teams put in a waiver claim. The over and under is none.
Carp, I feel like you’re becoming a bit…”bitter”
(La carpa, me siento como si estuviera haciendo un poco … “amargo”)
I’ll take the Under Charlie.
(except it’s mostly his CONTRACT that makes me take the under. I think if he made less than $1M/Year someone would definitely claim him for ticket sales)
you really do love me LW
how about just admitting three facts;
1. totalretard never liked avery and wanted him gone from the get go;
2. totalretard is happy that he got his spoiled brat way and finally got rid of avery;
3. totalretard blind hatred for Avery may have clouded his judgement in making this decision.
oh one more, maybe the most important one.
totalretard’s comments about Avery after cutting him were completely unprofessional and uncalled for
Thanks for that post, Fran!
Dude, you know how much people around here like and defend Mr. Tortarella, right?
(Colega, ¿sabes cuánta gente por aquí como el señor y defender Tortarella, ¿verdad?)
I think Wolski was having slight groin problems, so they put him on 3rd line to try to reduce the strain on him. I think Dubi will be just fine, he’s played with players of that calibre since day one, and if i were him i’d use my size and just crash the net, and leave Richards and Gaborik to do the fancy stuff.
Also, lets not forget those lines are always subject to Torts tinkering after the first few shifts anyway.
Avery’s waiving would be maybe acceptable if it was Weise or Mitchell or some prospect that beat him out of his job, but Christensen is just pissing the fans over the top.
Christensen does not belong in NHL he stinks, that is what really kills me, that Tort got rid of a good player and kept the one that I and most of the fans wanted gone.
As for Avery, he isn’t perfect, but:
1. He is one of our best playmakers
2. great skater
3. tough, very good fighter
4. physical, very good hitter
5. drives some opposing teams/players crazy
6. provides energy
7. very good puck control/posession
8. very good boardwork especially behind the net
9. can play well on any line
10. has chemistry with almost anyone
11. When Goborik scored 4 goals against Toronto and Islanders guess who had 6 assists? That’s right Avery.
12. provides more entertainment value for the fans.
Christensen is going to ride the pine in MOST games.
Maybe we should petition the NHL to be able to allow benched players to participate in Shoot-Outs. Then he would be really valuable.
“Fran, you may think that centering the puck to nobody is other players ’ fault. Of course, it could be that if Avery actually passed the puck to a teammate, that would be a better play. If the people think that Avery is so great, let’s see how many teams put in a waiver claim. The over and under is none”
yeah because it would cost them 4 million and most teams are at their cap budget, not because he is a bad player.
“Christensen is going to ride the pine in MOST games. ”
hello?! injuries
I’ll admit Torts comments about Avery were akin to throwing someone under the bus. Unprofessional IMO to a degree, but we also don’t know the circumstances with the team.
I think Avery had become too much of a distraction, not a team guy, not liked by most of his teammates. And there’s a sigh of relief with him out of the picture and the team can concentrate on playing hockey and not about where Sean Avery is going to play.
His antics were bush-league and unprofessional and a distraction. I think he’s a side-show and not committed to the sweater he wears but more so to his own image and not the example you want to set for your young guys.
Adios, Sean!
bob,
it wouldn’t cost another team 4 million. The team would split the difference with what the rangers owe which would be splitting between 1.9 million, just saying.
Great. What a replacement player. Wow. I HOPE someone gets injured so we can see Christensen!
I would WAY rather see someone from Hartford come up than Christensen play.
bob,
1. 7 assists in his last 41 games of the season says otherwise
2. no argument about that, but so were Enver Lisin and Rico Fata
3. Prust is a tough player and a better fighter and doesn’t back down from a challenge.
4. Callahan is physical and a better hitter
5. He also takes as many penalties as he draws. Neutral effect
6. See Prust and Callahan
7/8/9. What did any of that result in last year? A decent first half of the season and then basically disappearing in the 2nd half.
10. In short spurts maybe. Over a sustained stretch no.
11. So that’s 2 games out of 76 that they clicked.
12. Shooting a t-shirt out a plastic tube also provides entertainment for the fans.
“complaining about someone yappin about a divorce. yeah ok, like that hasnt happend forever. you cannot believe the stuff thats said on the ice to get under someones skin. speak with a player and you will know that not much is off limits. and that has been the way it is for a very long time.
and lastly, i find it ironic that avery is gone for his behavior while our clown coach still fights his inner demons when it comes to the media and how he treats people.
torts the clown- hypocrite extrordinaire.
i can live with the cap room savings created by sean being waived but its hard to see christensen still on this team because of his prior shootout success. thats just bogus. as much as sean avery could be a dick, ec was to me, just as big of a dick for running his mouth to the press and being, for the most part, invisible on a nightly basis. ”
good quote from a fan on another site.
Great point, Manny! If somehow we could just use Christensen for the shootout only….
Avery = useless (according to the facts)
Avery = Gretzky (according the emotional attachment of certain Ranger fans)
firetorts
Yes, I love you like Torts loves Christensen.
Where are the three “facts” you refer to?
Thanks, NYR. I will get to drafting a law!
Christensen for Captain!!!!
CTB,
your points don’t make sense.
1. 7 assists in 41 games the answer is Tortorella doghouse and playing with garbage like Christensen.
3. so what if Prust is better? Do we need only 1 guy that can fight?
4. so what if Callahan is better, do we need only 1 guy that can hit?
6. again so what?
11. how many games did he spend on Gaborik’s line, probably 2-4.
“bob,
it wouldn’t cost another team 4 million. The team would split the difference with what the rangers owe which would be splitting between 1.9 million, just saying.
”
I am not 100% sure but I think if Avery is traded or waived Dallas is off the hook from half his salary.
Bob
1. Those numbers are the REASON he was in the doghouse.
3. We don’t just have Prust, we have RUPPerstilsken
4. We need many guys who can hit, and we have them. I would make a list but….
6. Um…....THE PRUST/Capt. Cally
11. I agree that Avery might have a chance to flourish on that first line but Avery is not the guy that is going to get Gaborik going. That guy is named BRAD RICHARDS
bob – you left out #13
http://tinyurl.com/3f6u8tc
Well without Sean, this team just got less interesting.
He was a strong character and didn’t hold with BS
Hey Sean – I support you and wish you the best. It seams you have much more to get from life. Enjoy!
Oh. And thank you for standing up for gay marriage.
In a way your like the NHL version of dr. House! Lol.
Tort probably wanted to be the center of attention of HBO’s 24/7, was afraid Avery would steal his thunder.
I do also love Avery’s politics. Good for him there.
bob have you even read any of Torts’ comments about 24/7. If it were up to him they wouldn’t be participating in it. Either that or he wants to make sure Christensen has as much camera time as possible.
How bad is our depth if our coach thinks Creepy Christensen is our 13th best forward?
The point being…maybe he can run for office now. That would be a good future for him.
How good is Avery if his best hope was being the 13th forward?
13th best BEHIND the hobbit wizard ?
Like I’ve said in the past….Avery’s best moments on the Rangers were when he played with Shanny and Gomez (years ago)....He was very effective on that line…Since then, he has been a mere fraction of the player he once was (it has nothing to do with Torts…what about when Renney sent him packing?)...He pretty much sucks now…His antics lost their effectiveness and his shooting percentage is nearly zero. He is a weird cat.
How can anyone justify Sean’s position in this lineup with so many players that have more skill and less of a liability on defense?
Even if injuries happen, I’d rather have EC on the 4th line than a prospect wasting his time there.
nice to see them recall Erixon. Bickel is barely an AHL player and Bell is nothing more than a 7th d-man.
Let the swede play in Sweden…
bob,
no, dallas is on the hook for half of the 4 mil with the rangers until the contract is up which is in the final year so if another team picks him up off the waiver wire that team would split the difference with the rangers which is somewhere around 1.9 mill. That means a team who grabs avery off the waiver wire would pay avery somewhere around 925,000.
I’ve been following this site for several years and enjoy the comments, but this is my first post.
Bob – Did Christensen personally wrong you in some way or are you just stalking Avery? You’ve been like a jilted lover the past two days! I can’t see how there is this much passion for either guy. They both have had an absolute minimum impact on the team the past two years and are virtually invisible whenever they are on the ice. Avery draws penalties and EC is good in shootouts. Since Avery takes as many penalties as he draws and has a much higher salary this was probably an easy decision.
Rags, you’re wasting your time. You’re talking to the guy who desperately wants to trade Hagelin, but throws a hissy fit over waiving Avery. That says it all.
First time/long time!!
WTB- If Staal thinks he’s sitting out a month he needs to get his head examined.
rim shot
All those who want Torts fired – Not understanding why, but who would you replace him with and I DONT want to hear Messier.
Paul Mara! The ultimate beard is negotiating with Slats!!
Sauer status? If he plays (as indicated somewhere) – Erixon call up makes sense for balanced pairings:
McD/Girardi
sauer/Erixon
MDZ/Auntie Em
Bad news; Even with Richards this team will have trouble scoring. Moving Dubi to the first line on a wing and a prayer – (knee hockey anyone?) With Feds on line 2, does that put Step on line 4? That’s too bad.
The Beard! He better not ask for too much dough.
Poor Erixon might be getting his hopes up! LOL!
Mara!
That really burns Erixon. Shame.
Dore33 – Easy. Ken Gernander. I’d take him over Torts any day of the week.
And to anyone who thinks Christensen will ride the pine for the whole season – I’ve got this nice, beautiful bridge to sell you. It’s in Brooklyn and has a great view of the river. By the way, I can sell you the river too if you’d like. Just pony up $100 a pop. Write the check out to Phil’s Beer Fund LLC. Sorry, all sales are final. No returns.
Good morning all!
Carp, the link isn’t fixed. And thanks for the freakout when I tried it!!!
Well all, I’d love to stay and chat, but mama has lots to do before takeoff later. Packing my Sweet 16 for Sweden with pride and sadness. If you see me on TV, wave hi!!
miked, nice blog, and great post :)
Skal all!!!
It boggles my mind how people can see the same thing so differently. (knee hockey anyone?)?
As in Dubi’s always getting knocked down and playing on his knees? lmao
phil- I’ll buy that river if you promise to jump in it :)
I remember when we traded for Avery, and the impact he left with the team early on. I would never say he was my favourite player, but he did his job well on a sleepy team that needed him. As time went on, he became more of a liability. Now when he hits the ice, I wait for him to take a stupid penalty. He’ll always have a place in my heart on account of how he treated the Debbies, However, I think it’s time to move on. We no longer have a despondent group of players. We’re faster, tougher, and younger. Wish him all the luck in the world, though I seriously think his nhl career is over.
Have a safe trip Mama -enjoy!
+1 Dude.
Have fun Mama.
if staal is out for a month this season could get away from the rangers real fast. i only hope that our 2nd and 3rd pairs
mdz and sauer
eminger/erixon/mara can get jo done. mara and eminger together could be brutal to watch
Not having stawhl is horrifying. I will agree.
the Rangers are going to need to make a move for a top 4 Dman. the Staal situation is going to last the whole season. even if he comes back, he is going to be on hit away. it might be time to dip in to the prospect pool to make a trade.
please no mike komisarek and his 3 yr contract with 4.5 mil price tag. heard hes available
Rags_AD- welcome..
Have fun, mama…
Big no to Komisarek.
dde
You’re not the only one. Who exactly started the “Dubi falls down on his own” thing anyway? It’s just bizarre.
What’s with Komisarek? Avery is gone, we need to bring Komisarek? What, Dion Phaneuf isn’t available :-)
Seriously, Komisarek’s skills has been declining. I saw him in preseason paired with some rookie. His skating ability makes Caber look like Apolo Onho. BIG NO.
Gernander as head coach? That’s big fat broduerian hell no
I don’t like what I hear aboot him. Torts is the man for the job. Anyone who doesn’t think so, is just biased.
All Torts haters, can you remind us who was the last coach better than him? Just because you don’t like his personality, doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be coaching this team. I don’t always agree with what, and how, he says things, but I don’t have to marry him either. All I know he is the best coach for this team.
His skating ability makes Caber look like Apolo Onho. BIG NO.
*******************
HAHAHAHAHAH
It’s racism against the tans. I’m so sick of it!
LW- Dubi only plays on his knees 6 minutes per game because Torts hate him.
Think the lines break down like this for friday: – Dubinsky, Richards, Gaborik – Fedotenko, Anisimov, Callahan – Wolski, Stepan, Zuccarello – Prust, Rupp, Boyle
I’d like to see Feds get a shot on the top line and keep Dubi, Cally, Artie together, thoughts?
Caber?
morning ILB and all!!
mama
have fun
Is matt walker any good? He might be available and didn’t he play in tampa for torts? I could be wrong on the tampa thing though.
Id rather pass on mara.
I think erixon is a mistake right now, he did not look ready at all in the preseaon. I could be wrong.
Sucks about staal!
Once again, D a weak point on the big club. It has been the last 10 to 12 years. Always trying too hard to find another brian leetch offencive D man instead of just getting solid defencive players back there that know how to protect their goalie and defend.
wicky?
I’d rather the Rangers not rush Erixon and sign Mara on the cheap…
Let him play a few months in CT to get some confidence…
LOL! What about Semenov? Third time’s a charm?
Enough about Avery, Stahl news is not good. Don’t want to be a downer, but I fear we don’t see him till at least late December/January. Hope they can sign a decent veteran.
5-12?
on a bit of good news, NBA preseason cancelled….here’s hoping the whole season is next!!
manny?
avery?
Sorry, had to folks!!
hey ilb, asking who the last coach that was better, really doesn’t answer the question because that idiot Sather has been running this team for 10 years, so all of his choices pretty much sucked throughout those ten years. Just because he has been here for a decent stretch doesn’t make him the best coach for this team.
I wasn’t a huge Renney fan, but he had some success, MORE success than this clown that everyone on this site seems to love.
Unlike Carp, yourself, and the others with blind totalretard love, he has yet to prove he is a good coach for this team
He has a HUGE job ahead of him this season, now that the Staal thing looks bad…..
He just threw away some toughness, grit and hustle, in favor of soft, lame and inconsistent, so we’ll see how that works out for him too.
LOL! Maybe this time, Semenov’s mom would get in the way of his contract. Poor guy!
is the Anisimov, Cally, Fedotenko line considered a two way checking line? does the Stepan line ( on paper anyway) become the number 2 offensive line?
Wicky,
100% right about the D. wasted time trying to find an offensive Damn, when they should have been finding solid defenders.
Firetorts- something tells me (could it be your handle?) that no matter what argument anyone presents, the chances of you changing your mind about Torts are smaller than chances of Michael Jackson singing again. So I’ll refrain from getting into any debates.
I thought Avery was the clown?
He just threw away some toughness, grit and hustle, in favor of soft, lame and inconsistent, so we’ll see how that works out for him too.
***
Didn’t realize you needed hustle to sit in the players suite.
@TSNBobMcKenzie
Bob McKenzie
Sean Avery clears waivers.
Torts must have told every GM in the league to not claim him.
bull dog – Thats why i’d like to see Feds moved up to the top line instead of Dubinsky. I think taking Dubi off Artie’s line will really hinder its productivity.
I agree I’d like to find a vet D-Man but I don’t have much faith in our options. Is anyone we bring at this time going to do a substantially better job then Erixon? I’d like to see it happen but I don’t have much confidence that’ll happen.
Firetorts, if you honestly think any coach in the league can come here, and make this team better, then you’re as blind as Stevie Wonder.
This team probably could be a lot better if Slats didn’t waste money on guys like Dreary, Blowmez, and Dredden, and instead used that money on better options, then we’d be a bit better.
I know you’re probably delusional, and think we’re good enough to win the Cup under the right coach, sadly, you’re wrong. You bring in anyone, and you get similar results, or worse. This team is still a few years away, but they’re finally heading in the right direction, and that is because of the coach
ct
there isn’t a bathroom in there, you have to run all the way down the hall to go pee….if you are not fast, you might miss something!
the only thing that will change my mind about torts is success.
show me some success and ill change my mind…
right now, all i see is an arrogant close minded asshole, with a personal agenda—not a plan—to get every player to conform to be some robotic role player
somehow you’ve (and many others on here) decided he is a “great” coach and the “best coach” for this team.
must be the deep playoff runs that convinced you….
oh wait…..
Avery = Pagliacci – the sad clown
Avery clears waivers? How shocking. I can’t believe no team in the NHL wants him at half price.
LMAO @ the Avery lovers!
That’s like God being waived by heaven, and demoted to purgatory. The madness!!
Must have been those deep playoff runs with Avery on the team and Renney as coach that convinced you firetorts.
”...all i see is an arrogant close minded Cooke-hole, with a personal agenda”
Funny, so can I…
“Is Matt Walker any good?”
99% sure the answer is “no”, wicky.
The Habs claim Betts off of waivers. Must have been Pearn’s idea.
orr
no one wanted him at 25% I believe?? (half dallas, quarter rangers, quarter new team??)
I don’t quite think all the credit goes to torts for the right direction. Some credit does, but a lot goes to the drafting staff as well as sather (sorry olga)! Torts, good or bad, just has to make the best team with parts he is given. Correctly or incorrectly utilizing the players is on him. But a lot of the credit should go to others in the organization as well!
LW
thanks, I wasn’t sure on that guy!
Wicky- from what we understand, Torts had a lot to do with which direction this team was going. They molded the team, personnel wise, the way he wanted them to. So he gets a credit there too.
Gernander = no way…he hasnt been that successful down\up in Hartford\Conn.
Torts won a cup and I’m sorry you can say luck, it was the players, etc…the truth is they bought into what he was selling…He is the right man for this team and will get us there.
They are still growing as a team and continue to improve…I can honestly say I’m a bit surprised that people want him gone…this team finally has some youth and stability and being a Ranger fan for 35 years I cannot be more thrilled.
Staal just needs to take a Tylenol and get back to work just like everybody else. Can’t be such a crybaby over a little bit of migraine. Don’t understand why the doctors don’t clear him for full contact.
I liked Avery as a Ranger (surprise!) and i always stood up for him on this blog because no matter what he did, it was never good enough for most people. Avery is always in disadvantage because the whole league is against him, his own coach / team is against him, and the fans of the team he gave his heart to is against him. Some of it is his own fault, i am not arguing that, but it’s kind of hard on a person…don’t you think? I wish him luck and i hope he’ll find a team in the NHL where he can be helpful.
“Torts, good or bad, just has to make the best team with parts he is given”
Exactly!
Ah! Another Gamefly game in the mail! Three for three!
holy jeebus bob are you seriously questioning whether it’s the right decision to take a conservative route with a player that suffered a brain injury?
ILB
I certainly don’t disagree with you on that, the organization plays a certain style so you go get players for that style, makes perfect sense…it takes work to get the players and unless torts is the one getting all that done, others deserve credit as well.
orr
what did you get
Staal is going to be out for more than a month. With all of these setbacks and everything we’ve seen with Crosby and others with concussion symptoms, I think that month time-frame is just the earliest he might be back. I’d rather we be safe with him.
I wonder what Avery’s response will be. I am actually curious about that.
CTB, what decline in production? He doubled his goal total!
Avery’s only options now are AHL, Europe, or retire. If nobody took him for free, they certainly aren’t going to trade anything for him.
staal target date…winter classic
Wick, I got NBA 2k12. I don’t really like Basketball, but I figure the game might be fun. This way, just in case there’s a lockout in the NBA, I can watch the Knicks lose in a video game, which will make me happy! Weeee!
Game’s brand new too. I pre-ordered it on Gamefly so I can get an untouched game. These gamefly users are savages! They treat the games like Casey Anthony treated her daughter.
hey LW, i may be an asshole, but what you wrote implying im a close minded arrogant asshole with a personal agenda, really makes no sense.
im just saying.
Bob, how much Tylenol should he take?
CCCP,
It’s good to admit that some of the blame falls on Avery but his track record still shows that for all the good he could do for a team he could also be a disruptive player. And that was even when he was a reasonably productive player. When that productivity started to wane coupled with other players on the team playing more valuable or versatile roles there wasn’t going to be much of a use for the guy anymore.
Bob, how much Tylenol should he take?
———————-
enough to see pink elephants? :)
orr, i dont think any coach in the league can come here and make this team better
and i dont think we’re good enough to win the Cup right now.
but please tell me what right direction this team is heading??
all I see is an amazing goalie keeping a bunch of subpar thrown-together-forward lines in every game, and then win some, lose some.
avery traded to toronto for conditional draft pick.
cutberth and the canadian fans wanted him in toronto. burke gave in to the pressure.
cutberth wanted all the options on one team.
the conditional pick is based upon avery’s ability to make the line up for five continuos games without the home fans booing him (7th rd pick) or if he carries dion’s, mike’s, and elisha’s bags for the whole season on all road triops (5th rd pick).
Lol, wicky..
1. Fire torts
2. Trade everybody
3. Avery for top line LW and Captain
4. Stahls headaches would be cured if America wasn’t being destroyed by Obamacare.
5. Sign The Beard!!!!
orr
nice!!
cccp
sadly, I think he may already see them!
just out of curiosity has brooks had much to say about the situation??
ILB
thanks captain!!
There you go, Wicky:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/sean_gone_XLS8UTsWblvP8kFlQp5C1K
Wow!! Orr is playing an NBA game!!
Firetorts
You’d appear more open minded if you acknowledged any of the arguments in favour of Torts being a good coach (nobody has said he’s Scotty Bowman x10) or of Avery no longer being as effective a player, rather than just hammering away at the “Torts hates Avery = Torts fired” angle.
You’d come across as having a less personal agenda by maybe expressing cogent thoughts about why Torts should go and who should replace him, rather than going all Mr Angry and just repeating the “fact” that you think he is a rectal cavity.
The direction we’re in is a commitment to youth
Could that not be any more obvious. The majority of that is because of Torts. If not for him, I’m sure Slats would still be going after the crappy vets, and taking chances on borderline 2nd line players, hoping they would magically hit their prime and become superstars.
Or is that what you want? To go back to signing vets to fill roster spots. Overpaying for fools like Holik, Blowmez, etc.
That’s the direction we’re in, and need to stay on. We have guys, that right now, are solid NHL players, but in a few years have potential to be more. They wont be a Crosby or Ovechkin, but will be damn good NHL players.
No coach in the league can change this team. Torts is the man for the job! End of discussion.
“i dont think any coach in the league can come here and make this team better”
So fire the current coach. Flawless logic.
Eric Staal indirectly puts Sean Avery out of the NHL.
This is all HIS fault. REVENGE
My late grandma would say something in Yiddish years ago that very well describes what you (Orr and LW3H) are doing. Roughly translated: “You are talking to a light bulb”.
rectal cavity! lol!
LW
“mr angry”..LMFAO!!! I spit out my earl grey tea on that one!!
Amen ORR!!!
wow Orr you convinced me!
great assumptions
nice to ASSUME that “If not for him, I’m sure Slats would still be going after the crappy vets, and taking chances on borderline 2nd line players”
even better to ASSUME that “No coach in the league can change this team”
thats an amazing statement.
wow, talk about close minded
unreal.
the blind love for totalretard is staggering.
Firetorts are you Larry Brooks?
We’re all actually close cousins with Torts and at the same time Christensen.
Told ya….
Here is another one from Brooks:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/richards_right_star_to_add_to_black_PPScHg8H6iiGCRi6RmIGBI
CT
trust me, i get it. I get that Avery is no longer needed on this team since we NOW have a few players who can play the same game and be effective. That is why i am sort of OK with Avery being gone. But making Avery the Antichrist, is laughable. :)
i also thought that Torts showed his real colors when he poured dirt on Avery yesterday.
Assessing where the Rangers are on D right now is a little more important than where this team is without Sean Avery. Youth movement? Check!
Eddie Murphy hosting SNL – cool!! In the hot tub HAYYY!!
Glad to not see Betts on the Flyers. Liked him. Thought he did yeoman’s work for the Rangers.
You average lightbulb provides more illumination. (And doesn’t contradict itself within two posts.)
ILB
guess I shouldn’t be shocked by that brooks article at all, considering who wrote it.
Rangers’ Dmen situation is confusing! What happened to our defensive “depth” that we were told about?? One guy goes down and all of a sudden this team is in panic for a dman! And wtf was Staal doing all summer?? He didn’t know he had concussion like symptoms until he came to camp?? someone please explain…
firetorts – It’s your type of mindset that has troubled this team over the years. You assume there is a quick fix. You would rather go for one quick fix after the other, perhaps resulting in a high level of mediocrity but perpetually failing in the ultimate goal – to win the Cup. It’s your inability to see and enjoy the systemic building of this team, the slow but steady growth of it’s players and their “buying into” Torts team concept that has you doomed. The success comes in small pieces that build the bigger picture over time.
I threw up a little in my mouth when I read that OPG bit in the second brooks article
cccp
good question about staal and the summer input if you will!!
there has to be a d man out there…right?
either you cant read, or youre just selectively reading parts of what im saying.
im just using the Avery thing as one EXAMPLE of why totalretard is an arrogant asshole, and not a great or good coach.
as far as arguments for him? all i see is conclusory statements that he is the “right” coach, the “only” coach, the “best” coach, etc. The only actual argument made was Orr giving him credit for the commitment to youth, which (a) he may or not be responsible for, and more importantly, (b) commitment to youth is really not coaching, is it? its a GM thing.
i thought ive given a bunch of reasons why totalretard sucks? he puts his personal feelings first, hes an arrogant asshole, the powerplay has sucked his ENTIRE time here without improvement, hes an arrogant asshole, one of his strategies is having his key players blocking shots, hes an arrogant asshole, he constantly changes lines with no success, hes an arrogant asshole, and also, hes an arrogant asshole.
thats like 10 reasons right there.
who to replace him with? im not going there.
or do they wait to go after a d man until they are back form europe and have the time to get him up to speed?
Firetorts, I’m not expecting to convince you, because you just can’t be convinced. You’re a biased fool, who just has a personal issue with Torts, which I’m hoping has nothing to do with Avery, because that would be sad.
It’s completely safe to assume that nobody else could do a better job. Take a team like the Caps. On paper, they should win the Cup, because they have the talent, the superstars, the role players, the this, and the that. So, if you said they should fire Boudreau, because someone can do a better job, then you’d have an argument. But, this is NYR. You really don’t have much of an argument that suggests firing Torts is a positive option.
Like I said, you’re a biased fool.
I think we should replace torts with Carp!!
“is it? its a GM thing”
Actually no. It’s not.
Placing someone on waivers is not really coaching, is it? It’s a GM thing.
wow, I wonder what everyone would say about me as rangers coach after all of those 1-0 games we played that lasted about 4 hours with 200 plus PIMs each game???
I can hear it now in the post game interviews with captain Prust “just tell the other team it’s only pain and get over it”!!
The masses on rangers report “FIRE WICKY” that arrogant a hole blog goon!!!
dd, when the hell did i say “there is a quick fix.” and that id “rather go for one quick fix after the other” ????
and how is totalretard is building this team? hes scouting and drafting too???
so what if the team has a similar season to last season? you know, fight for the final playoff spot, lose in the first round. then what, are you satisfied?
to me, the coach’s job is to know each player you have, and get the most out of each player, not make each player play the way you want them to. its a fundamental difference and thats why totalretard sucks.
hey Orr, thanx for the compliment!
I have to say at least you are actually reading and responding to what im saying, unlike LW, ilb, dd, and the rest of the totalretard family.
Not saying Tort’s is a great coach, that is still up for debate. However any sports fan will tell you that most of the best coaches in any league are arrogant assholes. Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells, Billy Martin, I could go on and on and on.
Pretty great article by Brooks on the Avery situation.
Look, I’m not going to deny that he’s been a shadow of himself ever since the Cuthbert incident. It’s pretty obvious that he’s been subjected to a pretty unique level of restriction by the league since that time, and it’s impacted his ability to play effectively. I think if a guy like Sean Avery has to play like Artem Anisimov, he’s going to be worthless. Avery’s an agitator and relishes the role of being the problem – if you take that away from him, he’s just a smallish checking forward.
All that being said, there’s no way I’m ever going to believe he wasn’t run out of town on a rail by the coach. Tortorella had his mind made up about Sean Avery a long time ago. His taskmaster approach requires that players follow his orders to the letter or risk banishment. Avery’s not stupid, and I’m not sure he’s always held some resentment toward Tortorella as well. This made for a very poor pairing and resulted in a belligerent coach browbeating an angry player.
As much as I’ll miss Sean Avery on this team, I really think he was wasting his time as a member of the Rangers. He was never going to get a fair shake – as Brooks accurately stated, Tortorella knew exactly what forwards were going to be on the team long ago. That he dragged Avery around Europe, pretended there was a competition for a roster spot, and then scratched him for the final two days after making that announcement proves he’s a liar. The fact that he basically blackballed Avery to the media yesterday proves he’s a lousy person.
My issue with this team is that for all of Tortorella’s strong-arming of players and the media, I see the same old situation. When you’re keeping a guy because he offers some benefit in shootouts, you’re conceding that you can’t score in games. This is the way it’s been with the Rangers for the past 16 years. No scoring, no excitement, and now, lots of shootouts. Good luck with this approach in the playoffs.
You have to “go there” if you want the guy fired. You don’t fire a coach without having a replacement in mind. He is arrogant and in sports that’s not always a bad thing. I’m sure most if not all coaches and athletes are arrogant to some point. That’s one of the reasons they got where they are.
He has helped bring back the credibility of the NY Rangers. It’s not a revolving door of coaches and players and as stated earlier “quick fixes”. Stability is a HUGE part of a growing organIzation. Whether it’s kids coming through the system or free agent signings.
I don’t hear too many grumblings that the players don’t like playing for him. Richards was offered more cash to go to other teams and he came here knowing what Torts was like. Feds, Prospel also came to play for him…He must do something right.
Lloyd run!!!
don’t you know you can’t criticize the greatest coach that ever lived???
totalretard’s family will come and get you now
Carp, u kno the Tigers and Yanks havent kept u busy last two days….u kno it was the girls bball u cover :) lol jk …honestly, I liked Avery (even have his jersey) but its not the end of the world losin him….im ok wit it bc it saved a million or so in cap space, so if they spend that WISELY (key word) then its obviously bettee for the team….i agree w everyone that he wasnt a diff maker anymore (if he ever was one) and that EC does have more offensive upside, so its not that serious to me…..and, I disagree that Torts shoud b fired, I am happy wit him and the direction the team startsd heading / continues to head since he took over…..prust sayin…..Avery gone is not this big of a byufglien deal
it was not long ago that there was a lot of complaining about the coach not holding players accountable. now the Rangers have a coach who holds his players accountable, and this makes him a bad coach. is what upsetting you that Torts held Avery accountable?
Lloyd
Still don’t agree with everything you say (I do think Avery has been strung along in pre-season), but that post is about the first rational and coherent one coming from the anti-Torts side, which is good to see.
John Tortorella seems to selectively hold players accountable.
Wow! Brooksie must read this blog! firetorts…is that you, Brooksie?
hardly the greatest coach that ever lived but I have yet to hear a viable replacement mentioned….......thats an important part of the equation
dore, youre right arrogant works SOMETIMES.
belicheck—works; ryan—obviously doesnt
parcells—works (sometimes)
i wouldnt call Billy Martin arrogant.
and giving totalretard credit for bringing back credibility? I think Jagr and Lundqvist did that 5 years ago.
Who said he was the greatest coach that ever lived? You still have not come up with a replacement…name one coach you would take over him?
Come up with a replacement? To quote John Tortorella, “I don’t want to play GM here.”
John Tortorella seems to selectively hold players accountable.
***
Based on what?
He demoted an unproductive Drury to the 4th line and eventually just had him taking defensive zone faceoffs.
He’s called out Gaborik for playing better.
He demoted an inefffective Del Zotto down to the AHL.
He rewarded guys like Boyle and Prust as they showed they could handle bigger roles on the team.
Seems to me run things fairly balanced.
*Seems to me he runs things
But he has…yes Jagr and Lunqvist brought back the respect on the ice. They need a leader and Torts has done that. Is he the greatest coach in the league, probably not but I don’t see anyone at this point being the man to lead this team.
I’m sorry Avery had his chance last year. he disappeared for LONG stretches at a time and if Torts doesnt think he will help then move on and thats what they did. Sorry no real loss here…Christianson is what he is. If one of the kids was deserving at this time to take his spot I’m sure it would have happened. The season hasnt even started yet. lLets see where it all goes.
Wojtek Wolski is still on the team and being considered for a spot on the top line? his contract is a disaster, he has no heart and he barely skates.
Erik Christensen is still on the team
Brandon Dubinsky receives deference incommensurate with his performance and disappears for weeks at a time
thanks for the plug carp!
None so blind as those who will not see
Wolski’s contract is a disaster?
Wolski was scratched many times at the end of last season, can’t argue with you on Christensen, and Dubi brings more to the table than just offense.
Which players were the Rangers not able to sign/re-sign because of Wolski’s contract? And if he dogs it this year he’s off the books anyway.
Erik Christensen is on the team in name only, he didn’t get major minutes last year and he isn’t even going to dress for games to start the year off.
Brandon Dubinsky led the Rangers in points last year and put up career highs in goals and points.
We have defensive depth, it’s just not ready yet. That was the issue with our forwards a few years ago. We had quality wingers, they just were in the system and very young. Some panned out, others didn’t.
And for people saying you get the best out of the players you have instead of molding them into a system, look at what Detroit has done in the last 20+ years. They built a system, kept it that way, and bring in guys who play within that system. Other than Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom, most of those other guys know their roles and just stick with them. That’s what Torts is trying to do. Let Gabby/Richards do their thing and let the others play the “Ranger” way.
I also love how people act like Avery never got a shot with Torts and don’t see the fact that he was given ample chances to start the year and didn’t perform. When he didn’t perform, his minutes decreased. So his performance played a role in his minutes, not the other way around.
Hopefully this team is more like the 84 Mets and possibly the 92 Yankees who started to change the culture of the team and organization to a winning franchises. In today’$ NHL – smart draft picks, developing the youth, strategically bringing in leaders to help guide the youngsters on and off the ice.
I don’t think Torts is going to lead this team to the Cup, but he is here at a time when they stopped the cycle of bringing in former stars to build a future. Although I like aspects of Avery’s game, he was not the presence they wanted influencing the kids as the came up to NY. It is Feds, Prust and Rupp over Aves; EZ doesn’t really factor in the mix as he is not the banger/grinder forward.
Need to move on and see if we can find a suitable Dman who might need to play Top 4 minutes for the first three months or we can watch the return of MDZ at 24 mins/game.
Stranger,
right now a top 4 Dman is the biggest issue with the Rangers. if they do not address it, and Staal does not make it back, its not going to matter how many goals Gabby and Richards combine for.
I think it is time to be aggressive in the trade market ( if there is one). deal from your strength ( centermen) to fix the weakness ( top 4 Dman). you could also tap into your prospect pool to do this if you have to.
let’s get one thing straight. when that sloppy seconds incident happened, Torts was an analyst on TSN, and I personally watched him say all kinds of nasty things about Avery. he hates the guy, and when odd circumstances soon after brought them together with the Rangers from Dallas and TSN, Torts tried to pretend different, he tried to pretend that things were ok, but you simply cannot deny the facts. Torts made it very clear on the air on TSN that he had no respect for Avery, does not like him, and ripped him with gusto shortly before they were brought to the same team. so don’t try to tell us that personal feelings had nothing to do with his decision. and his “shoveling dirt” comment after waiving Avery confirms this completely.
Firetorts,
I happen to have a family member who is mentally retarded and I’m growing increasingly irritated with your “totalretard” comments. It’s not very clever and it’s very insensitive. Can you please try a different name?
I’m guessing carp ain’t gonna let your carcillohole comments go either.
Wolski is double the cap hit Avery is/was.
If you’re arguing that Wolski hasn’t prevented them from signing anybody, who couldn’t the Rangers sign because of Sean Avery’s contract? In addition, Wolski’s RFA at the end of the season, whereas Avery’s UFA.
Except Wolski has the ability to
A) Score 15-20 goals
B) Score in the shootout
Two things Avery can’t do to save his life.
I’d rather have that than Avery’s
A) Mouth
B) Giveaways
C) Penalties
etc.
bull dog
makes sense to make a deal
RealKyper #Rangers Staal had cortisone injection in neck week ago. Told it could take up to a month to help. Continues rehab/acupuncture treatments.
You let me know when Wolski scores 15-20 goals for the Rangers.
And talk about arrogant. AVERY isnt arrogant??? Come on!
And once again if you’re keeping guys for shootouts, you’re conceding that you don’t have the talent to win a game in 60 minutes.
Are we having fun yet??
:-)
Lloyd, there is no conceding involved, for good or bad it’s a part of the game
Shootouts:
Caps 11
Flyers 10
Pens 13
Rangers 12
Lightning 12
Horak (the guy we traded for Erixon) made the Flames. Grachev made the Blues. Weise probably made the Canucks.
you say tomato, i say tomato
you eat potato and i eat potato
tomato, tomato, potato, potato
let’s call the whole thing off
Lloud, he has the potential to score 15-20 goals, if he keeps his head on straight, as opposed to Avery, who with his head super glued on, still wont get past five goals, all while being useless as ever. I’d take Wolski over Avery in a heartbeat, especially with one year left on his deal.
It’s a bit of a reach for him, but it’s not as far-fetched as you seem to think it is.
Whether we have the talent to win a game in 60 minutes, remains to be seen. I still don’t know what to expect from this team.
You aren’t conceding anything. The Sharks for example were near the top of the lists of games gone to shootouts and goals scored last year. Similarly so were the Penguins, Lightning, Blackhawks.
People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?
I am predicting that Grachev will have a good season in St Louis…we’ll see
Oh my GOD! Horak made the Flames! Grachev made the Blues!
Trade everyone! Move the team to Kansas City! Quebec City! Atlantis City! Take Tylenol! Fire everyone!
Where’s ZzZz, I’ll take Wolski over 15 goals for 20 quid
No. “I” am your father.
wolski and EC=the pansy brigade
Sean Avery scored 15 goals in an abbreviated season for the Rangers.
You let me know Wolski does the same.
It then took Avery 163 games to score 19 goals in his 2nd tour of duty with the Rangers.
LMAO! When was that? How many years ago?
Wolski scored 23 the year before last. He had a bad year last year, so maybe he has a good year this year.
Like I said, perfectly possible.
Wolski scored 12 last year – that would be 9 more than the Great Waived one
Let me fix that for you:
Sean Avery scored 15 goals in an abbreviated season for the Rangers
when he played with NHL Hall of Famers on his line.That same year 07-08:
Avery 80 games 18G 25A 43 Pts
Wolski 77 games 18G 30A 48 Pts
yeah but Avery did not get enough ice time, Torts hates him, and Simmonds called him a bad name. lets see Wolski score goals after all that happens to him. oh, and the LA cops were mean to him.
So we’re trading for Jagr and telling Shanny to get out of the NHL head office?
Rodney
the reason is those pesky pro avery people will not admit that avery was the 13th best forward on the roster (at best) and that keeping a 13th best forward that makes roughly 2 mil is not a good decision.
and the other reason is those pesky pro torts people will not admit that due to personal feelings from the coach about avery, he probably wasn’t given quite the opportunities that some other players were given and was jettisoned at first reasonable chance by the coach.
That rodney, is why we can not get along!
This is all you need to know about Avery “Avery left the team in Europe and was heading back to his home in New York City, according to the source.” – ESPN
While Bell and Bickle stayed with the team in Europe.
Get lost Avery! His agent says he’ll play in Europe perhaps. Ha! Think anyone over there will put up with his me-first attitude?
Dore, umm, maybe if Avery got three more minutes each game, he’d come up with another another nine goals, and maybe even more!!!
Bwahaha!
I’m gonna miss the Avery lovers, once this all blows over.
wicky, most of Avery’s 2nd tenure in NY has been with Torts as the coach. 160 or so games with a handful of scratches tells me he got a fair chance.
Wicky,
so you admit it was a reasonable chance.
ORR you know that the minute the Rangers start slumping, the “this is because we don’t have Avery” brigade will be out in full force.
And I can’t wait!
2 more days until hockey!
What? Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Sounds like Parise was named captain of the Devils.
LOL! I can’t wait either. It’s gonna be awesome!
Good choice. Unless, he leaves them next year [fingers crossed]
I’m really going to miss you guys…... Hmm, I wonder if Warren77 would be a hit in Hartford, eh?
“If Avery isn’t claimed and clears waivers, but the Rangers later recall him from the minors and another team claims him on the way back up, team 3 splits the cost with the Rangers. Dallas is now off the hook.”
so the Rangers will never recall him, as they could end up with him on their cap again if he is claimed on the way up.
FREE AVERY!
GM SATHER: STAAL COULD BE SIDELINED FOR A MONTH TSN.CA STAFF 10/5/2011 11:15:37 AM
Awkward Christmas dinner at the Staal’s this year?
Great post on another site:
“He’s gone so I am not going to comment on him anymore.
The only problem I have is this.
Regardless of the role being asked, if the Coach preaches that players get what they earn out on the ice, then he just lost alot of credibility with me and I’m sure with some in that room.
They can justify it away by saying “Oh, it’s just so and so” but the fact is that Coaches live and die by the teams they are running buying into what they say.
What Torts did was piss on himself in the sense that the guy they waived earned the role that was being asked of him. He had a better camp than some that are still on the team and a host of other guys that were also sent packing.
If Torts was man of integrity, he would have made the right choice in regards to rewarding the player that earned the spot.
To say that he has players on the team that are better than the guy they waived is an out and out lie. To use the versatility comment as part of the reason for the decision is also a bold faced lie as the guy they cut has also played center in his career and has shown an ability to play well with talented players.
I can’t know if there was any conversation before camp in which he was advised of the teams plans and allowed him the opportunity to up his stock with a good showing in pre-season, but I do know that the words that come out of Torts mouth from this day forward have alot less meaning than they did two weeks ago.
You can’t sit there and claim you get what you earn and then cut a guy that just earned a spot and think that your credibility just didn’t take a hit.”
Vancouver took our sloppy seconds, but nobody took our sloppy thirds.
If Avery had such a great camp he would have been claimed. He’s a liability who can now follow his real passion of womens clothing and purses.
Thank you Tort’s!
Happy about Parise. Nice to see two great American players captaining the Rangers and Devils in 2011-2012.
wow….......just wow
Exactly, Staal. I questioned how much this guy even cared about hockey…it clearly wasn’t his #1 priority…
Exactly, Staal.
You can’t reason with these fools!
Did he really have a great camp? I mean, I barely noticed the guy except for when he sucker punched Simmonds, and drew two penalties. That’s pretty much it. He looked as average as everyone else did.
no one claims a guy who they can get for half price later on. see the waiver wire. only a couple guys claimed out of more than a hundred
LAST CALL!! TWO MORE SPOTS AVAILABLE IN ESPN FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE!! DRAFT IS TONIGHT AT 7:45PM!! EMAIL ME IF YOU WANT IN!!
ODESSITBK@MSN.COM
CT and bulldog and all other willing combatants…FWIW
In his first tenure, I think avery was extremely valuable. I think avery plays/played better with better offencive players (who wouldn’t) statistically speaking. His value also had a lot to do with the rest of the roster make up.
As his second tenure moved along, he became less and less valuable. A lot of it had to do with the roster make up. He was also playing with less gifted offencive players, so statistically speaking his impact was also diminished.
At 2 million bucks per season, being a 13th forward (especially with our continual issues on D) I think he was in a precarious spot and was waived. I think newbury should be the 13th forward over avery and EC personally.
Do i think that the coach made a hockey decision and a hockey decision only, no I do not. I believe some of his opinions/personal feelings came into play about avery and this was the first legitimate opportunity he had to justifiably get rid of him and he did. I do not think torts is the first or last coach to make a decision affecting a roster with personal feelings mixed in.
That being said it is not 100% on the coach. Avery had to be aware of his situation and standing with the coach and his position on the team. He did not warrant a top 12 forward spot at this point and then became a numbers game IMHO.
I think both sides of this argument are being a bit naive in the role that both torts and avery played in this situation. The reality, like so many other debates, is somewhere in the middle of both arguments.
Orr – NICE!!
CC, how does a fantasy draft work? I’ve never really tried it before. Maybe I’ll join.
100% agree wicky. Torts isn’t the first nor will he be the last coach that factors in personal feelings about a player into his roster decisions.
As anti-Avery as I’ve come across the past couple of days I did think at one point he had a role on the team. When the Rangers were loaded with veterans that at nights seemed to be on cruise control he could spicen up the games and drive opponents to distraction. But that was then, this is now.
orr
you son of a beech
ct
thanks.
I think we have a lot bigger concerns on this roster than the 13th forward
cccp
i have to work, so I will try to take lunch to participate.
That’s right Orr…I’m blown away by the support for a 4th liner who had a few good games. At a certain point in history he was the right fit for the Rangers…however the Rangers now have a new bust size and Avery doesn’t cut it.
Damn, wicky and I agreeing again. Mayan calenders were off by a few months.
ORR
its easy… when the draft starts (there will be a link available on the main league page) you get a list of all the players and you just select which ever player you want one by one based on your draft position. let me know if you want to join. ill probably have to find one more owner if you decide to join so we can have an even amount of teams.
So anyone else think Gaborik has worse hands than Adam “Stone Hands” Hall? Dude cannot stick handle worth anything.
I’m nicknaming his hands “The Ten Commandments”...
Then again, if I ever see wicky and bulldog agreeing, I’m running up to the Ferrari dealership in midtown and maxing out all my credit cards.
wicky
if you cannot make it to the draft, could you please set it to auto-pick? thanks! :)
I sent you an email, CC. If there’s a spot left, I’ll join, but if it’s too much trouble, don’t worry aboot it!
CC, I’ll be there for the draft!!
wicky, CCCP will make sure you draft Exelby, Witt, Valabik and Brent Johnson as your goalie (dude that knocked out DiPi).
Brilliant post at 2:51 pm, Wicky.
He had his role on this team, and I was among many people on this blog to like him, and felt he was valuable. But the team simply outgrew Sean, if it makes any sense to you…Aren’t we all supposed to be happy about it? At $2M per year, he was just too expensive to keep as an extra forward. Call me crazy, but EC, at $900K, is much more valuable. He is more versatile, can play wing, center, PP…And, yes, SO. And whatever Sean could help with at the moment, could easily be done by recalling Newbury.
And I’m sure Torts did have some reservations about Avery…But I’m also sure if Sean showed he can play a third line winger, he would be on the team.
CT,
I think Wicky and I agree about the Dman situation. it needs to be addressed sooner, rather than later.
bull dog- what do you suggest they do?
bull dog line
join my fantasy hockey league! i will make sure that nobody picks Avery so you can have him as your team captain! :)
ilb,
see if there is any kind of trade market for a top 4 Dman. if there is, you either deal from your strength( center), or it may be time to cash in some of those prospect chips. I am not talking about a stop gap type of Dman, but someone who can come in and play top 4 minutes and stay here for a while.
ORR
if i could get one more person to join, i will sign you up! If not, then i apologize!
cccp,
I am in one league already, I thought about joining yours. if your short a team I will.
C3, is the league free?
If so, I can give it a shot if you’re still looking for another team.
wicky
I agree mostly too (!), but the supposedly pro-Torts/anti-Avery side are pretty much not being at one extreme. Most do recognise that Torts didn’t like Avery and likely isn’t in streams of tears over his departure. But also recognise there is more than a sliver of a hockey/cap move in there too.
The “other” side appears to be populated by obsessives who are taking it as some sort of personal insult by an idiot coach.
No problem, CC
CCCP, I’ll do it.
bulldog,
I am going to pretend I didn’t see you and wicky agree. I really can’t afford that Ferrari.
bull dog, I know that is what you had in mind. Top 4 will be expensive money-wise, and in terms of giving up players. Now, what do you do with him when Staal comes back? Move him to a third pair? Demote MDZ? Don’t let McD/Sauer progress? They are not winning the Cup this year, at least I doubt that. We are still growing, and have Erixon in the mix. Unless they know Staal is out long term, I’d wait.
ilb: the solution is simple. You can worthless Girardi.
CT
apparently the sky maybe falling and LOL
bull dog
We do agree
ILB
thanks
Orr
join
LW
true
CCCP
I believe I am set up on autopick, I think the first round may take the regular amount of time then autopick kicks in!
All
off to work, later assens!!
5 minutes ago i was looking for 2 teams now i have 4!!! LOL
yes, the league is free, but if you want, you can still send a check to me :)
14 teams better than 10…makes it more comparative!
Doodie, Noah, bull dog…send me an email and ill send invite. thanks!
my email: odessitbk@msn.com
League password = TortsIsAlwaysRight
League password = Avery is god!
Sent you an email C3.
I’m strictly a fantasy football and baseball guy so this will be a first for me. I’m hoping for some beginner’s luck!
UPDATE: According to the NHL, this is how it would break down for Avery.
If Avery were claimed on re-entry waivers, his salary would be paid by and count against three teams’ caps with this breakdown: Dallas 50 percent, Rangers 25 percent, New Team 25 percent.
So there you go: There can be a 3-way split on the deal.”
so he won’t be recalled. that much is clear
League password = 12Tree45
ilb,
I think the Rangers feel they are cup contenders this year. Staal’s situation may linger all season. even with Staal healthy, I don’t think the D is good enough. you have Miller on the way at center for the next season, and you have Mitchell, and Newbury for depth this season. I know we are pretty attached to our homegrown players, but you may have to move one to get better.
When is the draft?
Noah, same for me, except I don’t even do baseball.
I joined another fantasy hockey league with a friend this year and the draft was last night. I don’t like my team, so having a second team to practice strategies and trades with will be helpful in the long run of the other team (keeper league).
Doodie
its tonight at 7:45
waiting for your email if you want to join before i can send an invite to noah…just want to make sure i have even amount of teams.
CCCP,
Is it true the person assigned the last draft pick automatically has to pick Wolski or Christensen?
wow. the conversation that would not die. ... and I’m not a big enough idiot to try to kill it … so proceed.
Carp,
When the conversation finally dies down are you going to blame Torts?
So, George, dude, what do you say we go scale some rocks manana?
CT
yes, it is true… and you also have to pick up Betts and Roszival
Yeah, Torts put a leash on the conversation. He hates the conversation. He never gave the conversation a chance. He loves Christensen more than the conversation. Torts is horrible. Fire Torts.
CCCP,
Pucks bouncing over a player’s stick at the blueline is a category right? I’m picking Rozi in the first round.
new post.
If offsides were a category, I’d pick Avery in the first.
Either that or having shooting percentages that approach 0.