Avery suspended indefinitely

For What?

I don't know how anybody could still wish he was in a Kings sweater. I was happy we got rid of him, too bad we didn't do it sooner.

what the... man i was looking forward to this game for avery to play. avery is like T.O and Chad Johnson of the NHL and those players bring fans to the game. I think its soo retarded to suspend sean. its like there tryin not to bring fans back to hockey. people want to see the trash talking and then the big hits in the games

FREE SEAN AVERY..

I honestly don't know what the big deal was. Being an ass about your ex-girlfriends doesn't seem to me to be a reason to get suspended.

That's kind of a dumb suspension but the comments from Turco and Richards are pretty telling, I think. It really sounds like he's wrecked their locker room.

I don't agree with the league suspending him but I would have agreed had the Stars done it, which is what the Stars' owner said he would have done. I'm so happy he's with the Stars. Can't believe one guy could be such a detriment to the team chemistry.

Lame. He calls a black player a n***er and doesn't get suspended 'indefinately', but for this he does?

It was something that should have been said on the ice and not the media... but jeez, give him the chance to say it on the ice and feel Phanuef's wrath.

I also am a little bias because in a way it reminds me of the great and widely beloved Chief's captain - "Hey Hanrahan, you're wife sucks p***y!" hahaha

Funny that Avery's getting suspended for saying this, yet "reporters" are stumbling over themselves to get it into the media.
Last time I checked, Avery was on Dallas and the Kings are playing in Phoenix.
How about some info about our struggling PP and Murray's struggle to find a winning balance from the "reporters" who actually get to ask him?
Is this KingsInsider or "Entertainment Tonight Insider?"

The league has lost its mind.

In any line of work...a professional means someone who knows their place, speaks eliquently without detrimental comments, and puts their team/job first. Avery simply isn't a professional. A great hockey player, but a mess which deserves to ride the pine. Kudos to the league for finally taking care of this embarassing side show.

I'll bet Brownie is enjoying this! This is karmic payback for all the damage Avery did in the Kings locker room during his tenure. What an idiot! I feel sorry for classy players like Modano and Turco having to put up with him...

I do have to hand it to him for being really funny! Of course, I've always been very happy that we got rid of that a-hole, and he keeps proving the Kings right every day...

And yeah the NHL probably did overreact in suspending him, i'd rather see him get the crap beat out of him by the Flames...

``Surfers,'' you're entirely welcome to not read the blog or start your own. Because a) there are no Los Angeles-based reporters in Phoenix tonight to ask Terry Murray anything and b) Avery remains a high-profile figure here and in many cities where he didn't even play. My apologies that the content doesn't meet your high standards.

The Stars are struggling b/c Turco has the lowest save percentage in the league. Not b/c of Avery.

I walk around the staples center and see alumni jerseys like Norstrom, Robitaille, Taylor, Vachon, and know those names represent the heart and soul of our organization. Every time i see an Avery jersey i want to punch the person wearing it. He is bad for the league. Thank God DL realized his true potential before he grew into the horrible representation of an NHL hockey player he is today. No loss to me. C-ya Sean.

JDM - Is there any proof he really said n***er or just hearsay? If there's none, how can you punish him based on he said/she said? If there IS proof, he shouldn't be allowed back until he's done some real work to understand what being a human being is all about.

I wanted to see this game too! I hunted down the Dallas/Calgary games when the schedules first came out. I had NO doubt there would be an Avery/Phaneuf altercation! I'm bummed it wasn't on the ice!!

Rich, thanks for posting. You are right...love him or hate him, Sean is still "news" in LA! Everyone has an opinion!

Rich,
Just keep doing what your doing.
Your cite is the first one I read every morning.
Thanks for the update and thanks for your hard work.

Kudos Rich. You post one story about a non-king and all of a sudden you're "Entertainment tonight". Sorry that others can't appreciate the dozens of your other posts that give us Kings fans insight into the team that no other media outlet provides.

And the suspension on Avery is crock.

you are right Butthole (haha, always love typic that ;)...)

I just remembered the incident and th allegation and assumed it was true because well... it's Avery and it's usually true with him. He hasn't earned himself and crying wolf points. But technically you're right, it was alleged by Laraque I believe but he didn't say it openly in the media. I think a few players confirmed his remarks but I could be wrong on that. Either way it was ultimately heresay. Then again I've been accused of saying that to someone when I never said it, just to try to get me in trouble (stupid kids...), so you never know. Could have been made up, but my gut tells me its true.

The NHL should have waited until after the game against Calgary to suspend Avery. I don't think Phaneuf would have been the only one jawing and taking runs at Avery. I also agree with Simon, this should have been a suspension by the Stars not the league. Avery is a clown.

Rich, thanks for keeping us informed on former players from the Kings. This is an interesting NHL story.

bigkingzfan said: Every time i see an Avery jersey i want to punch the person wearing it.
Please let me be the one wearing an Avery jersey when you decide to finally do that. You sound like the player you despise with a comment like that. Avery is not bad for the league although he may be bad for a locker room. He has proven that he has more than enough talent to be a full time NHL player. Most of what Avery does, while stupid at times, would be much better sorted out on the ice than by suspension. Judging by the comments here it would most likely increase the amount of viewers to an otherwise uneventful game

A little criticism of the host and I'm invited to leave? Sorry. Won't happen again.

For those of you yesterday that read my post about how
Hockey players are next to perfect,compared to football,basketball ect. I stand corrected. Yesterday I stated that Plaxico Burress was a jack ass, and how great hockey players are then the day after Avery did this... I even said he just likes girls fashion he is harmless. Well he should just quit hockey and go full time querr eye for the (blank) guy.....I didnt like him in LA and I really dont like him now......

Rich,
Thanks for the story. Your blog is by far the best source of info for the Kings, not to mention other stories that most Kings fans find interesting.
Keep up the great work!

You're welcome to post any criticism you want, and you're welcome to no longer read if you don't like it.

Marty Turco
"Well, hopefully he doesn't back down, you know, Better show up like a man. But we expect that out of him like we have all year... The show continues."

Whether you love him or hate him it sounds like some of his teammates are already done with him. Dallas is stuck with Avery for another 3 1/2 years, better them than us. Hull has to be kicking himself right about now.

Rich, What is you opinion of this guy you probley knew him best while in LA what did/do you think of Avery?

I woner what Jared Stoll thinks. He seems to have had a little of avery's sloppy seconds.

Pro wrestlers say these kinds of things when in character doing a show. Is Sean Avery a fictional character of his own creation at this point?

I can see him saying this on the ice to get a response and get a player off their game, but this is him actually asking for cameras and media to take his statement.

I don't have any issue with the league or the team suspending the guy for this. The game is played on the ice, and off the ice these guys are expected and required to be professionals per terms in their contracts. They have to wear suits on game day or face discipline; just one example that people should be familiar with.

If this is Avery playing his game, fine, but again, the game is played on the ice. Off the ice this kind of behavior is unacceptable and is detrimental to the league. Look, if this kind of BS brings in fans...those are fans I think the NHL should consider doing without.

For me, on one level, this is similar to Avery high-sticking a guy in the parking lot. I'm sure that would have people talking about hockey also, but don't think it's something that is good for the game or that is appropriate for a player to be doing. The game is played on the ice; off the ice the players are required to be quite a bit more professional than this.

I totally think Avery has a right to play his game the way he wants and be the mouth he likes to be. But that's on the ice. When it carries over to the locker room, dealing with coaches and teammates, and calling the media around to give crass public statements where like it or not he does represent his team and the league, like in this situation, he should be subject to discipline both from the league and from his team as appropriate.

He wants to say this to Phanuef on the ice? Fine. He wants to say this to all of Canada and the rest of the hockey viewing world? Thats a completely different story...

Chris...Avery is all about getting attention for himself. He can be entertaining and even insightful from time to time, but he self-destructs whenever he goes through a period when he doesn't get enough attention. Take today's incident, for example. Avery sought out reporters, not vice versa, made sure a TV camera was present and made a spectacle of himself. It can be entertaining for reporters, but it gets very old, very quick, for teammates and coaches. It happened time and time again with the Kings. It's not that Avery doesn't want to win. It's just that, first and foremost, he wants all the attention to be on Sean Avery.

If Avery was not suspended and got hurt or hurt somebody as a result of his comments, everybody would say that the NHL should have stepped in and suspended him prior to game time. The NHL was right in suspending him. Talk about the game to reporters, not other player's personal life. Avery is a distraction to every team he has been on and a black eye for the NHL. Too bad...he could be a good player if he just shut his mouth.

John Tortorella just called him "a selfish ass" on TSN and said he shouldn't be in the league.

I can't stand Avery any more then anyone else can, and Tortorella is right. I've said it for years. There's no place in the NHL for Sean Avery.

BUT, last time I checked, he plays in America right? Offensive or not, he has the right to say what he wants (and yes, I know he said it in Canada, but he plays for Dallas). Suspending him for a stupid, contrived insult like this is a travesty.

The news cannot get enough of it. I saw the actual Avery interview and he said it all in good fun, but the newscasters are saying it was premediated and had he used "ex-girlfriend" instead of "sloppy seconds" it would have been fine. Bummer because this would have been a fun matchup!

In a league full of boring players who show absolutely zero passion, Sean Avery is a breath of fresh air.

He adds character and color to a game that is simply filled with far too many dump and chase drones who are enamored with their anonymity.

Avery is the Tiger Williams of this generation.

Way to go Rich!

How can a story about a former King be ignored? Completely ridiculous comment.

Damn Anthony...WTF?????
That's twice in the same post that I agree with you 100%
Fear not...There's a game tonight. I'm supremely confident we won't agree...but its all good man!

Avery loves Avery...It's a shame because the guy has a ton of talent, but his ego gets in the way of that talent.
The comments here in the NY press make it clear That he was a cancer in the locker room with the Rangers.

I still can't for the life of me figure out what he said that was so objectionable that it would lead to a suspension...but since it's Avery, it's ok.

Thank you so much for the site Rich! This is a totally relevant article on an old King and brings up an interesting discussion on free speech.
I don't miss Avery at all from this team. He is a total distraction and an a-hole. However, when I met him at "Meet the Players" a few years back he was actually a very sweet guy and even signed extra stuff for my friends kids. I think this should have been a team suspension of 1 game at the most or just a fine. I'm not saying he's a good team mate, because he really isn't BUT he should be able to say what he wants about whomever unless it's threatening violence, using derogatory terms or getting too graphic. Say what you will about him and I do agree with Rich H that it probably gets old covering this guy but he does get people to talk about the league, a lot of girls love him and plenty of fans love to hate him. This isn't Canada, we have dozens of sports bigger and more popular, it brings attention. Weird situation...

Good job Rich! I love your Kings info and insights best, but it's also nice knowing I can come to my favorite hockey blog and get interesting info about other teams in the NHL too.

Thanks for all you do!

So what? He said sloppy seconds, knowing it would get under Phaneuf's skin. Who hasn't said that ever in their life? Avery is a great player on the ice. He is one of the hardest players when on the ice. He just does not know when to shut up. To the bigkingzfan I wear my Avery jersey proudly because of who he is on the ice. His personal comment has nothing to do with his skill, I would welcome you to talk to me. That was a lame ass comment. When I was at the last KROQ party even Marty McSorley walked up to me and commented on what a good player he was, he just also wishes he would shut up. I see Fukufujil jersey’s and he played what one game. Why don’t you beat them up to, he doesn’t stand for the proud tradition of the Kings…Your LAME!!

Suspending him is just keeping him from the real lesson he needs. He might have learned a lesson if he had gotten run tonite in Calgary and the four other Stars skaters took a symbolic trip to the bench instead of stepping in to avenge him as he gets scraped off the ice. Maybe

just want to agree with Anthony and say thankyou Rich,

this site has been my homepage for the last few months and it's great,

thanks again.

Rich,

Don't flatter yourself. I don't come here for your insights but to discuss and argue the Kings with other Kings fans.
Grow up and accept some criticism instead of acting like a petulant child and implying I should leave. Criticism goes with the territory.
You're only a steward for the Daily News and I'm well aware I can decide wether I want to read THEIR blog or not.

re Rich v. Butthole:

I read the blog because of the reporting. The reporting attracts people who care about the reporting. The comments of some of these people are interesting, and it's nice to have a forum to talk about the Kings and hockey. But if there were no reporting, there would be no forum.

The "steward" comment is offensive on so many levels I don't even know where to begin. A writer is not a steward of anything. I have more to say on this topic, but I'm burning dinner.

Anyway, Avery is an ex-King. It's relevant.

It was disgusting and sexist. No excuses for him.

"Anonymous said:
In a league full of boring players who show absolutely zero passion, Sean Avery is a breath of fresh air.

He adds character and color to a game that is simply filled with far too many dump and chase drones who are enamored with their anonymity.

Avery is the Tiger Williams of this generation."

Somehow I believe Tiger thinks before he speaks, and I'm sure he would not have dissed an ex-girlfriend in the face of her current beau. Please do not confuse the two.

And Rich, don't bother responding to you-know-who. You don't get paid enough for this...

Butthole surfer, you are being rude and acting foolish. The "Entertainment Tonight" track is way off as a) Avery plays in the NHL b) is an ex-King who drew tons of attention and c) just got suspended for referring to "sloppy seconds", which doesn't happen too often...any of those make the item 'Inside the Kings' news worthy.

Take a deep breath, reflect a little bit, perhaps apologize to Rich for seriously minimizing the work he does for you, and change your screen name (it's very telling).

Why anyone thinks this is news is beyond me. Avery is an attention-starved brat who can't play hockey and the media plays along with his tired act.

All I can say is "Who gives a sh**t".

Come on, I thought calling for the suspension of BHS was funny, and it got deleted???

Oscar scores, finally!

I kinda wish the NHL didn't suspend him and Phaneuf took care of business but oh well, they play more then once a year.

Oh and BUTTHOLE SURFERS, you remind of Sean Avery, you're just an attention whore, shut up already. This is the best place to get the most news about the Kings before the game, after the game, and during the game. GO RICH!

Honestly, I think this is one of those "cumulative" suspensions. the straw that broke Sean Avery's back, if you will? That comment would not have warranted a suspension for anyone else in this league IMO.

2-1, 2nd intermission.

All this suspension shows is how lame the NHL is getting trying to have it's image cleaner than all the others. Thirty years ago Mr. Avery would have had to defend his statements on the ice with those he offended. Pretty soon they'll be wearing tutus and figure skates with no hitting or fighting. I wonder what the NFL will do to Plaxico Burress? It's no wonder the NHL has no major TV coverage and its ratings are so low.

Avery is nothing more than a slightly above average player with a big mouth who ruins chemistry on any team that he ever plays for.

Some jackass said

"Avery is the Tiger Williams of this generation."

I don't remember Tiger Williams turtling during every altercation... If someone disagreed with him...Tiger was also able to use his fists to bring out the finer points of his argument... I also don't think that Tiger ever spoke out of his derriere like Avery does CONSTANTLY... Tiger actually was smart enough to not go over the line...something Avery never learned...

I don't know what's less surprising. That Sean Avery would say something stupid or that some fans would still stick up for that clown.

1st let me clear some things up.
In the past Avery was never accused of saying the N word, he was accused of calling another player a Monkey. Which is almost as bad but not quite the same and he denied it.

In this case I think a suspension is lame, but whats worse is that his own team mates and org. aren't backing him up which says a lot of their character. Maybe they think by taking part in the anti avery band wagon the media will forget about their own incompitence as a team. A team that wont back up their own player is one that will finish last.

As far as I'm concerned Avery is the only player on that team that is doing what is expected of him yet they pretend to be dumb and shocked over Avery actions. Who are they kidding? This is what you get with Avery and hey the comment wasn't really that bad in my opinion or the least bit shocking. Dallas would love to make Avery the issue but he's not, it's the other players who aren't doing their jobs, if they were Sean wouldn't have do something like this to spark some passion. But it back fired cause the Stars don't back each other up.

"In this case I think a suspension is lame, but whats worse is that his own team mates and org. aren't backing him up which says a lot of their character."

A co-worker of mine used to enjoy a saying that went something like, "if one person calls you an a-hole, don't sweat it; if three people call you an a-hole, you might be an a-hole." I honestly think the fact the team is not backing him up says tons about their character in a positive way. It also says tons about Avery's character and what a locker room full of pros thinks of it.

Right now the team is struggling and in a place where they need every guy on that roster to pull together as a team. Some how you think Avery waving his cock around in front of a camera is about doing just that? The rest of his team certainly doesn't think Avery is pulling with them. Neither myself nor you are in that locker room to be able to tell what the problem is, but I'm willing to trust the overwhelming majority opinion coming out from the guys who are there that Avery is not helping things.

"As far as I'm concerned Avery is the only player on that team that is doing what is expected of him..."

I kind of agree with you about Avery meeting expectations, but only if the expectation was that he would ruin team chemistry and be a cancer in the locker room. Mission accomplished so it appears. And that was the expectation from not just a bunch of fans that want to hate. He's gotten kicked off of two teams now for being about Sean Avery and not about the teams hes on, and is working on a third. Don't see any trend there? Nope must be the other 22 guys that are the problem (and the other 44 guys prior to them too).

There is a difference between passion and competativeness and assinine behavior and self promotion. Doesn't seem like many of Avery's supporters can make that distinction.

I'm not saying it wasn't assinine or that Avery isn't a narcasist. What I'm saying is that it doesn't warrant a suspension, I've heard worse from my buddies joking around, this political correctness is out of control. And if Dallas didn't want this they shouldn't have signed him. Is it really that shocking to their org that he'd pull something like this. It's not like he got drunk drove into a pond and let a hooker drown in his car. He said sloppy seconds, big deal. Maybe the NHL ought to hand out stanley cup trophies to everyone so no one gets their feelings hurt. Bottom line if Dallas didn't want this they shouldn't have signed him, their bad not his. It's not a surprise to me or you.
Hockey's a mans game and Dallas has no room to whine.

And it looked like it worked to a degree because Dallas won that game as a big dog against a hot flames team.

"...I've heard worse from my buddies joking around..."

Any of your buddies call for national media and a camera to record their comments with the intention of getting the comments broadcast across the world?

Any of your buddies say those kind of things while actively representing an organization and league paying them nearly $4M a year while physically at their place of work?

People keep trying to play this down to something that is innoculous and framing it in terms which it did not occur in, and it's ridiculous. This isn't about political correctness at all. It's about professionalism. The guy can be as big an ass as he wants, but he has a responsibility to behave in a professional manner.

It's not about people being up-tight, the guy signed a contract that stipulates he behave in certain ways while in public and representing the league and his organization.

Look, guys are required to wear suits on game days at the arenas whether playing or not. Do you want to go on a rant about how that is ridiculous, or do you want to come back to earth with the rest of us and recognize as an NHL player he actually has agreed to and is obligated to behave in certain pretty resonable ways in public?

Look if Avery had said that in private to "buddies", yeah, you're right, there's no reason for anyone to be upset. If he had even said it on the ice to Phanuef's face, sure, that is trash talking and part of the game. He didn't do either of those things. He chose to make a spectacle out of this to the detriment of the league and his organization and deserves to rightly be punished for his behavior.

This isn't about generational prudishness. The guy crossed a clear line.

"And it looked like it worked to a degree..."

The thought never crossed your mind that maybe with the monkey (or in this case clown) off their back that maybe the Stars were responding positively to Avery NOT being around? I know it's been reported here a lot of Kings players and staff breathed a sign of relief when he was shown the door here. No chance the Stars pulled together and won that game because they were actually given the opertunity to be a team again without Avery screwing things up?

I would have been okay if Dallas benched him it's their team they can do what they want, but the league still had no business suspending him. How was this detrimental to the NHL? They'd lose in court if this was a civil case. If anything it sold more tickets just like the trash talking before a UFC fight does. You have no case there and Dallas would be guilty of causing their own harm through negligence. When I said it worked I wasn't talking about Dallas I was talking about the Flames and the way they played.

And I've yet to see any quotes from any layer saying Avery ruined the chemistry on "my team" or Avery is a "cancer in the locker room" back it up with some quotes or stop pretending your a mind reader.

"And I've yet to see any quotes..."

Well, all you need do is look for them. Jamies Duthie of TSN last night:

"Today, I spoke to three Stars players, who were blunt in their assessment of Avery. They agreed to be quoted as long as their names were not used.

"We hope it's the last time we ever see him," says one veteran.

"Our locker room is the happiest it has been all year right now," says another player.

...

"An apology (to the team) won't work," says a third player. "There isn't much he can say to change the way we feel right now. We have a lot of pride in this organization. He isn't welcome here anymore."

Avery has been an outcast in the dressing room from the start of the season. He wears headphones almost all the time, and rarely speaks to anyone, often working on his computer until minutes before practice. That might be tolerated if he (and the team) were performing well on the ice. But he hasn't been, with just three goals so far.

"He's been undermining everything we do," says the veteran. "He doesn't pay attention; he's not smart enough to play our system. He can't do some drills properly. He says it's because he's 'independent.'
Really, he's just not smart enough."

Dallas forward Brad Richards did go on record, but chose not to add fuel to the fire. Still, his feelings are clear.

"We don't want to talk about him anymore. Hopefully, it will be handled and that will be the end of it."

...

The Stars could elect to send him down, and since Dallas does not have an AHL affiliate, they could try to assign him to.... anywhere.

One of the Stars suggested Finland or Russia would be good choices."

http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/james_duthie/?id=258309

Well Chuck, what's your next arguement defending the indefensible? Might be time to recognize Avery is not what you are making him out to be and the kind of conduct you are trying to say is acceptable, plainly is not.