N.Y. Rangers ~ Rangers Waive Sean Avery

From the desk of:   RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Dean Torts Dropped the Big One Man.  The War is Over.   For Avery's Army and his Legion of Fans, the Battle is Done.


Glen Sather may have single-handedly solved NYC Sanitation's waste transfer station and garbage  incinerator issues, right along with the inherent not-in-my-backyard opponents as well.  Dump it all in Connecticut.  That's what the Rangers do. 


With a waive of the hand, Silver Back Sather causes millions of Dolan Dollars to mysteriously disappear into an off-Long Island Sound slush-fund called the Connecticut Whale.  How appropriate.  The Whale of a contract Sather gave Wade Redden is still feeding off the organization's krill supply.  And now Wade will have more off-Broadway refuse to keep him company....again.


Connecticut - "Look Out!  Bad guy coming through!"  -  quote, Tony Montana.


For the second time this season, Sean Avery's act will be heading off..., way off  Broadway, and all the way back to Connecticut.  Unless, if some team is daring enough to claim Sean Avery off waivers that is.  Coach Tortorella's red-headed step child was placed on waivers Friday morning.  Happy New Year buddy.


The writing wasn't just on the proverbial wall, it was damn nearly plastered all over Times Square!  The recent win over the Flyers on December 23rd, for me at least, signaled a most definitive end to Sean Avery's time on Fashion Avenue and 33rd Street.  The Rangers rose to the top of the Eastern Conference standings this past week and the truth is, Sean Avery had very little to do with it.  So it's back to the Island of Misfit; Overly Compensated; and Unwanted Rangers for him.


And pay attention here.  Because we find out a little more every day about the behind the scenes dynamic between Coach Torts and Glen Sather.  I said it before and now I feel this kind of confirms it; Torts is calling most of the shots now.  Do you really think Torts signed off on bringing Avery back a second time?  Of course not.  But Sather brought him back anyway.  So what did Torts do?  He said the Rangers had better players than Avery.  Now who do you suppose he was talking to?  Then after being recalled and actually playing fairly well on even strength shifts, he was still last on the team in ice-time.  Then Coach Torts shut him down cold and made him a healthy scratch the last five consecutive games..  How else does a Coach send a message to his GM when said coach has absolutely no use for a player?  I'm sure Coach Torts could have come up with many much more medieval ways to get his point across.



With the way the Rangers have been playing, I knew Sean Avery never stood a chance of playing meaningful hockey for the Rangers again - especially after the Flyers game.  So on Christmas Day, I posted this regarding Sean Avery.  Here's a taste:

I still believe there is a role for this player and that he can serve a team well if he comports himself. And this year, he has. But I now know that role will never be with the Rangers; not anymore. It's clear there is no role for him here. After spending much time defending and championing Sean Avery's plight, I now understand he never stands a chance of playing meaningful minutes for the New York Rangers ever again...,

The list of players Sean Avery must now climb over in order to receive any meaningful ice-time is starting to cast a rather lengthy shadow on his Ranger career...again. The first time was because he was still largely out of control and seething with internal anger. He proved too damaging to the team building concept. Most of all, he never stood a chance under Coach Torts. So, he was shipped off to Dallas. Glen Sather brought him back for a second run of the off-Broadway drama after another disappointingly meek exit from the playoffs and because Avery came at a cheaper price this time. Then just before this season got started, Coach blind-sided Avery with a demotion to Connecticut. Coach Torts flatly stated at the time, the organization simply had better players than Sean Avery. That rang very hollow with Ranger Fans.

There still might be a team he can play very well for. But due the Rangers' rebuilding effort, and the surging quality of hockey being played by too many young hungry and moldable players make it virtually impossible to throw Sean Avery valuable minutes out of compassion now. I am an unabashed soldier in the Avery Army. But the new young Rangers have passed him by. Like Coach Torts said back in October, this team has better players than Sean Avery.

Coach Torts was adamant in his assessment then.  And after the Rangers' rise through the Conference, it's hard to argue with the Head Coach now.

Mike.BTB