The Rangers and Sean Avery are Now Contractually Obligated to Like Each Other

In the first (and potentially only) big-name arbitration settlement of the summer so far, the Rangers’ Sean Avery has been awarded a one-year deal valued at $1.9 million. This afternoon, the Rangers announced that they had accepted the offer.

This has been one of the more controversial arbitration cases, as the Rangers have been throwing barbs in Avery’s direction all week. Avery has played the role of heart broken ex-girlfriend, saying the news has been completely surprising. If you remember, he was praised heavily for his part in the Rangers’ late season surge up the Eastern Conference standings.

Now, the two have to live together for one more year (barring a trade) in what could be one of the more entertaining story lines of the new season. Jilted ex-lovers forced to live together for a year? It sounds more like reality TV than the NHL — but that’s exactly what’s going to happen. To add to the excitement, Avery has never been afraid to speak his mind. In my opinion, it would be a sure fire hit. Hopefully, TV executives are listening. I think I found their next big hit.

Here are a few classic moments from The Mouth.

• “I am furious at Bob [Goodenow — former NHLPA head]. Bob thought he was bigger than he was. Bob brainwashed players like me.” – Avery on Bob Goodenow’s leadership during the lockout, per CBC
• “I think it was a clean hit. I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up.” – Avery on a hit Denis Gauthier put on our good friend JR in 2005, per TSN
• Los Angeles Kings forward Sean Avery denies directing a racial slur at Edmonton Oilers winger Georges Laraque during a game this past Tuesday night. “[He] fabricated the whole thing,” Avery said in Friday’s edition of the Los Angeles Times. “I have no idea why he would do that,” he added. “I heard about it after the game and was surprised.” …Laraque said that when he went to challenge Avery to a fight… Avery declined to fight and called Laraque “a monkey.”- The CBC, October 2005
• Sean Avery’s comments about being fined for diving cost him an additional $1,000 on Tuesday, when the NHL handed down a second fine.Avery had chafed at being fined $1,000 for diving during a game against Phoenix Nov. 3… “How can a guy sitting in an office in New York determine if you dived or not by watching a tape?” Avery said Monday. He also said he felt that the fine was not about diving, but “a way to do something to me.” – LA Times, November 2005 _uacct = “UA-1868762-1”; urchinTracker();

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