What the hell has happened to this guy? What has happened to the old Avery who used to be such a pain in the you know what to play every single game. He used to bring so much emotion to our team back in the days when our record was significantly better with him in it. Although he has never been the most skilled of guys I can't tell you how much I truely enjoyed watching his emotion and antics. I feel like maybe it's because Tortorella has him on a tight leash or maybe he just has lost it? It seems like when he's on the ice he no longer even attempts much at all of trying to get under guys skin. For example Avery would ALWAYS atleast show up for the big games like against the devils, but this last game I didn't see him trying to bug the hell out of guys like Kovalchuk, trying to get him off his game. Where is the Avery we all once loved? Just watch Loffen's video of Avery.. I feel like if Loffen made an attempt to do another video of Avery of just this season that he wouldn't even find enough footage. It really is sad.
This version of Sean Avery that we have been watching the past month isn't worth the 1.9 mill cap hit. He isn't a good enough hockey player to stop agitating. The thing about Avery is that he actually plays better hockey when he is agitating. I keep thinking back to the Devils playoff series when the Avery rule was created. He was one of the best players from a hockey standpoint for us during that series.
Cause Torts isn't a factor at all, and the referees don't treat him differently at all.
If you want to assess his on ice play then go ahead.
But if you and all the other Avery bashers are going to throw around your BS on the basis of people stating obvious facts then ****.
It's so ****ing tiring listening to that ********.
Open your ****ing eyes for ****'s sake.
It's been this way for over a year now.
We get it if you don't like the guy but give me a freaking break.
And can we lock this? Do we seriously need another anti-Avery thread created by one of the four people who think that Avery is supposed to be a 50 point player?
Again, he's one pace to do what he does every year. Get over it.
I would hope most people on here are smart enough to know what Avery is.
Anyone who thinks Avery hasn't been working his ass off with the ice time he has is nuts, simple as that. He's a fine 3rd/4th line winger. Hell, even center. Anyone who expects more from him is wrong, since that's what he is and always has been.
The fact is though, he's not a good enough player to be getting that much ice time and i'd love to see him start playing agitator again.
This version of Sean Avery that we have been watching the past month isn't worth the 1.9 mill cap hit. He isn't a good enough hockey player to stop agitating. The thing about Avery is that he actually plays better hockey when he is agitating. I keep thinking back to the Devils playoff series when the Avery rule was created. He was one of the best players from a hockey standpoint for us during that series.
And Tom, you don't think the coach has any say in the fact that this has stopped?
Or the fact that anything that's "mutual" between any other players in the league ends up with Avery getting an extra penalty from referees.
We've see it for long enough now to know that those who don't see it have a blatant Avery bias or don't pay enough attnention.
At the end of the year he'll still have the same amount of poitns as he always does.
Anyone who thinks Avery hasn't been working his ass off with the ice time he has is nuts, simple as that. He's a fine 3rd/4th line winger. Hell, even center. Anyone who expects more from him is wrong, since that's what he is and always has been.
.
I'd love to see more than 2 goals on 120 shots and 1.7% shooting percentage... Every single one of our defensemen has a higher shooting percentage.
He is collecting his near 4 million dollars a year in paychecks, and bringing little to nothing to this team right now.
He isn't even finishing as many checks, fighting as hard along the boards, or bringing enthusiasm to the team.
He just looks pissed off, snake bit, offsides, and of the 100+ shots he has this year, the vast majority have been from the outside instead of taking the puck deep and trying to create something.
I'd love to see more than 2 goals on 120 shots and 1.7% shooting percentage... Every single one of our defensemen have a higher shooting percentage.
But he's never been much of a goal scorer, and I don't want him to get enough ice time to allow him to effectively bolster his number in the goals column.
He's best suited as a bottom 6 agitator, but he's skilled enough to do more than that, which is why he has so many assists. He works hard, he just shouldn't be getting anywhere near top 6 ice time.
Unfortunately, because of his contract situation, he is untradeable.
I'd prefer Tim Kennedy up here showing his stuff, for a team that is centered around growing a youth core, a 30 year old 2 goal scorer should probably by most accounts be considered a part of the unwanted moving forward; i.e. Rozsival, Drury, Prospal
I love how we pick on Avery when the team is playing horrible hockey. What has happened to Avery is what has happened to the team which is ****, bad hockey. I would worry more about Christ, Prospal and Wolski (ya he played ok today but still coasts and does not play hard enough, all short bursts), Avery can still contribute more than most of our forwards and still creates chances. You put him with Dubi or a better center than Boyle and he will do better also.
And Tom, you don't think the coach has any say in the fact that this has stopped?
Or the fact that anything that's "mutual" between any other players in the league ends up with Avery getting an extra penalty from referees.
We've see it for long enough now to know that those who don't see it have a blatant Avery bias or don't pay enough attnention.
At the end of the year he'll still have the same amount of poitns as he always does.
There is definitely something that is keeping Avery from playing his style. It is probably a combination of everything you mentioned above. Avery is still playing hard but the agitating/get under your skin aspect of his game is becoming almost nonexistent. He is such a useful weapon when he is playing right on the line.
Cause Torts isn't a factor at all, and the referees don't treat him differently at all.
If you want to assess his on ice play then go ahead.
But if you and all the other Avery bashers are going to throw around your BS on the basis of people stating obvious facts then ****.
It's so ****ing tiring listening to that ********.
Open your ****ing eyes for ****'s sake.
It's been this way for over a year now.
We get it if you don't like the guy but give me a freaking break.
And can we lock this? Do we seriously need another anti-Avery thread created by one of the four people who think that Avery is supposed to be a 50 point player?
Again, he's one pace to do what he does every year. Get over it.
I would hope most people on here are smart enough to know what Avery is.
Where in my post did I say anything about expecting Avery to be a 50 point player? All I stated was that he has not brought the same emotion he once did this season. He's been around the same point production wise but points are not everything. There is no stat for the emotion and energy he once brought to this team, and if you do not see that he is not the same player on the ice this season, than you are in denial. Avery was best at getting elite players off of their game, like he has done with kovy in the past. Where was this the other night against the devils?
Unfortunately, because of his contract situation, he is untradeable.
I'd prefer Tim Kennedy up here showing his stuff, for a team that is centered around growing a youth core, a 30 year old 2 goal scorer should probably by most accounts be considered a part of the unwanted moving forward; i.e. Rozsival, Drury, Prospal
I'd rather have Avery than TK by far. He's liked by the guys in the locker room by all accounts, and as long as we're only paying him 1.9 he's fine.
After his NYR career is over I bet you he retires from hockey and lives in NY.
But he's never been much of a goal scorer, and I don't want him to get enough ice time to allow him to effectively bolster his number in the goals column.
Tell that to all the fans who are convinced he's a top 6 forward and should be playing on our top line... Here's some food for thought in '07-'08, his shooting percentage was 12% (15 goals in 57 games), '08-'09 it was 10%, '09-'10 it was 7.9%, this year? 1.7%... See a downward trend?
Quote:
He's best suited as a bottom 6 agitator, but he's skilled enough to do more than that, which is why he has so many assists. He works hard, he just shouldn't be getting anywhere near top 6 ice time.
But then when he doesn't produce much, we have to hear how it's because he's not playing with more talented linemates....
He could be a 20 goal guy but he seems to rather stir it up. And he takes him self out for large portions of games.
Is this serious?
What games have you been watching? He hasn't stirred anything up all year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fitzy Duke of NY
Unfortunately, because of his contract situation, he is untradeable.
I'd prefer Tim Kennedy up here showing his stuff, for a team that is centered around growing a youth core, a 30 year old 2 goal scorer should probably by most accounts be considered a part of the unwanted moving forward; i.e. Rozsival, Drury, Prospal
LOL good one Fitz. Tim Kennedy. Glad you're not GM.
And for the OP...
NO **** he hasn't been himself. His coach will bench him and he'll end up in the box hurting his team.
It's not that hard to figure out people. Watch the games.
i love Sean when he is being Sean on the ice agitating , scoring the odd big goal against the Debbies etc .... what i dont like about sean is Vogue ,warren 77 , fashion etc ,instead of interning at vogue in a year where you have had a few chances to finsish and help us win you could have been working on your game .But I love Sean but a few people have said it he lacks respect for the game .
I like Avery and what he brings to the table when he's going alot. I think the problem with Avery is two-fold
1)Tortorella has all but nuetered him, he has been pretty much minimally effective since Torts took over. If people don't see the correlation I don't know what to say...
2)Sean is a very selfish player that doesn't have the same team first approach of alot of guys on this team and in the league. No matter what issues he has with the coach, no matter how he has to tweak his game to fit his coaches system/ideal, as a PROFESSIONAL he must do his best to meet the expoectations of the coach.
I'll blame Torts all day for misusing Avery, but Avery has to be held accountable for his own poor play. Sure, its become common sense to everyone but the coach that this guy needs to walk the line to be effective, but Torts can't be blamed for this guy not engaging, finishing his checks, and using his speed more consistently.
