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[LeaferSutherland]

Jon Gabrielle

In last night’s 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames, Ranger forward, Sean Avery, with the bench shortened due to injuries to Drury and Dubinsky, logged 14:28 of ice time. That’s up considerably from the 5:56 and 9:30 he got the two previous games. Against the Wild a week ago Friday, he was scratched in what coach John Tortorella called, “a minor upper body injury.”

Whatever the reason, the once irascible Avery seems to have lost his “edge.” Whether it be an injury or his coaches disdain for “stupid” penalties, Avery has looked tentative and out of sorts lately. Come to think of it…ever since the former broadcaster, turned coach again, came out of the TSN broadcast booth; the oft suspended winger has been surprisingly ineffective.

Thoughts?

[NYRGirardi5]

i can't really comment on his play lately as i haven't seen many games but i can say that i don't blame him for losing his edge.....the league penalizes him if he looks the wrong way at a player. im sure its real frustrating for him.

[Steelwool]

I don't know why he looks disinterested, but he certainly does. Even in the Vancouver game, when O'Brien took that stupid penalty, Avery, while obviously agitating, didn't really seem to get all that involved. Other than that one incident while he was on the bench, he was totally invisible. Although, I think it was that game he got 5 minutes of ice time.
They showed a clip of him sitting on the bench, looking totally bored, and the player beside him reached out and tapped him on the leg, as if to say, cheer up! He never even acknowledged it, just kept staring out onto the ice.
Not that I'm upset about him being ineffective, but without him stirring things up, he certainly just takes up bench space.

[MikeNYR24]

I have a feeling it's more so Torts trying to control Avery. Yes the officials key in on Avery, but Torts isn't giving him the ice time. It's probably a combination of Torts and the officiating.

[Chris TMC]

If I had to guess whats going on with him I think its a 3-part combo... #1: him still getting over being hurt #2: the league keeping him under a bit of a microscope and #3: Torts has him on a very VERY short leash, with his ice time completely dependent on Torts approval of everything he does. I think that #3 is the biggest issue with him though to tell you the truth.

This point has been edited by Chris TMC: Nov 8 2009, 11:04 PM

[paris]

I think torts has tied Avery's hands. He smacked him on the arm and made him stop his shenanigans in Vancouver. I think it's only a matter of time before Avery can't control his personality anymore though.

[Vader]

Brooks did an article about this today, and Torts is saying that the coaching staff is not trying to hold Avery back:

"It's very important for the club for Sean to show his personality," Tortorella told The Post. "I think there are a lot of people around the club and who follow the club who think that the coaching staff is holding Sean back from being who he is.

"That is not the case. I want and we want Sean to be who he is. And he knows that, I guarantee you that he knows that. We've talked to Sean. It's not only the coaches. Everyone in the organization has told Sean that he needs to show his personality out there."

[Chris TMC]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Or in this case, the coach. I stil think its more like, "Yeah, we want you to be yourself out there! But if you screw up, your ice time is shot and youre in my doghouse. But yeah, totally be yourself!"

[cityhockeyfever]

Hadn't Sean Avery been producing at least a point in nearly all the games he's played? That's more important than if he roughs things up.

[Tashimojo]

Does the title of this thread remind any New Yorkers of those DUMB commercials on YES... "Jeter's got an Edge"

[swede30]

I have a feeling it's more so Torts trying to control Avery. Yes the officials key in on Avery, but Torts isn't giving him the ice time. It's probably a combination of Torts and the officiating.

this is what i thought but now im leaning more towards it being based on the officiating because last game torts was quoted as saying "Ill let sean know when he's crossed the line"

but in my opinion he is still in the mix of things when he's on the ice, and causing some heads to turn. I htink he just needs to throw his body more.