Rangers Review: Sean Avery
by Nick Montemagno on May 3, 2010 6:56 AM EDT
in 2009-10 In Review
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PrintWhat we liked: There is only one Sean Avery in the National Hockey League. He is very original in the way he plays the game and there is no one like him out there. I think that is why we learn to love Sean Avery and why he is our Sean Avery. Again this season, despite being put on a tight leash by head coach John Tortorella, he was able to add that originality to the lineup and at times it worked, and at others it did not. He scored in streaks, having multiple two-goal games, and showed spurts of being the great player we all know he can be.
This team lacked heart often throughout the season, but Avery consistently brought it. We saw it when he stuck up for Marian Gaborik in Philadelphia when fighting Daniel Carcillo. We saw it when he netted two goals against his former team in the Dallas Stars. When he has his head on straight, he can make things happen.
What we didn't like: Consistency was something Sean certainly lacked this season. Of course, missing around ten games due to injury did not help, but like I mentioned above, his scoring came in one or two games at a time, and then he wouldn't net another for about a month or so.
And then there are those very foolish penalties that he takes once in a while. I must say that he wasn't as bad with that this season as he has been in the past, but every now and then Sean's antics would go too far and get him into trouble. At the same time, though, I felt John Tortorella overreacted by punishing him with game long benches and even scratches for them. That is just ridiculous.
Continue reading after the jump.
Highlight game: Without a doubt Sean Avery's highlight game was when he made the Dallas Stars, his former team that basically dumped him because of his "sloppy seconds" comment, eat their own words. On January 6th, with the Stars visiting the Garden, Avery recorded two goals and two assists in a 5-2 winning effort. The best moment of that game, though, was in his postgame interview when he was asked what was different on that night, and he responded that he was being paid by both teams.
Final Thoughts: I really feel that Sean Avery is a much better player than most people give him credit for. He knows how to play the game of hockey, he has skill, and we know that he can score goals. He is not just a goon like most outsiders assume. It is a shame that his mentality can sometimes interfere with his game play.
When he is determined, he has the ability to make things happen. He can reach that level of play where he is hard to stop. The only problem is, he is not always focused on doing that. He gets distracted and detaches himself from the hockey game. That is when he gets himself into trouble, not only with the refs, but with the coach, who apparently does not have much patients for Sean's antics.
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I think he was mismatched on many of the lines that Tortorella put him on. If Torts can find the right linemates for him next season, he will be much more effective.
Personally, I think he should be on a line w/ Anisimov to provide some protection as Anisimov seems to get knocked around quite a bit. They both have above average skill, so I think it could work.
MATTEAU!!!!! MATTEAU!!!!!!! MATTEAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FWIW
Sean w/ AA = +3, team sv% .938
Sean w/o AA = -2, better shot%, better Fenwick%, sv% .909
AA w/o Sean = -3, negative shot% (outshot while on ice), worse Fenwick, sv% .904
You might be on to something.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on May 3, 2010 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
smurf you gotta start explaing these stats man
im bettin g99% of people don’t know what the Fenwick is. For those of you that don’t know its the difference between shots for and against in 5 on 5 situations along with a corsi rating. Im pretty sure at least
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by Joe Fortunato on May 3, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh yeah
Fenwick% is Shots For / (Shots For + Shots Against) That includes all shots, both on goal and missed nets. It does not include blocked shots.
That’s the difference between it and Corsi, Corsi includes all shots including blocks. I tend to prefer Fenwick because blocked shots mean you’re in your own end, which isn’t good.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on May 3, 2010 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
What it basically says here…Anisimov is better with Sean, but it brings Sean down a peg.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on May 3, 2010 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
corsi is a shot rating for a player 5 on 5
basically if the Rangers take 6 shots while he is on the ice, and the opposing team takes 6 shots while Avery is on the ice his corsy is a 0.
It excludes empty netters. But any shot directed at the net (ie missed net, shots on goal and blocked shots) counts.
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on May 3, 2010 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
so to get more into detail
Say Avery Gaborik and Redden are on the ice against Ovechkin Green and Semin.
Redden misses the net (big surprise), Avery’s shot is stopped by the goalie, and Gaboriks shot is blocked. Then Ovechkin scores, Avery Gaborik and Redden’s corsi was a +2
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
by Joe Fortunato on May 3, 2010 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Avery-AA-MZA
There is some serious playmaking possiblities with these three together and aves might be able to provide a little bit of protection for two of the guys that might get pushed around the most.
by BronxBeliever on May 3, 2010 11:02 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Who’s the finisher on that line? That’s the one thing I worry about.
by Lunkwill Fook on May 3, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Anisimov…he did shoot 9.7% this year. Avery’s a career 8.3, so he’s no slouch, and MZA obviously is an unknown, but he’s coming off a 23 goal in 55 game season in the SEL, which could project him to a 30 goal player in the NHL.
So, all of them really, but MZA is the most likely to be the “finisher.”
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on May 3, 2010 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
"Pressure" Line
This line combo could provide great offensive pressure but I worry about the defensive side of the puck.
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Honestly i don’t care one way or the other about Avery. He dissappears for LONG stretches and then he’ll play a couple good games and then dissappear again. He a third line grinder who has descent skills and a ton of intagibles which he sometimes uses sometimes not.
Again very inconsistent.
I don’t think MZA is a finisher. He’s more a playmaker. I’d put Avery on the third line with Drury and Prust. A good grinding third line.
Lundqvist-Staal-MDZ-McDonagh-Krieder-Stepan-MZA-Cally-Dubi-Gabby-AA-Grachev.
The core of the 2014 Stanley Cup winners!
Would be a sick forechecking line.
MATTEAU!!!!! MATTEAU!!!!!!! MATTEAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by stonecoldcory on May 3, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Sean is a better player than his numbers show
To me this season was a transition season for him because of everything he went through both personally and professionally after Dallas. His inconsistancy was mainly due to his having to find “where the line was” which caused him to second guess himself a lot. Then of course there is the constant line changing that caused most of the inconsistancy for most of the team. But one positive thing i think Torts is doing for him is that he keeps saying that Sean is a pretty good hockey player and can do more than just use his antics to change a game. That’s important because this is a guy who has been told for years by coaches to just go out there and annoy the crap out of people, then they are mad when he annoys more than just his opponent. To me I see Sean as a player who is finding out what is is actually capable of and I think he will have a break out year this season. He is consistant in that he works hard all the time and he cares about this team and city. He’s found a home here and I am one fan who is happy to have him!
Sean points out when an opponent fights like a girl
He may not contribute a whole lot stat-wise but for sheer entertainment value, he’s my favorite player. IMO, we are headed into another season of mediocrity and frustration, so by all means keep him around as comic relief.
My favorite 2009-10 Avery moment was him making fun of that Penguins player who punched like a girl. Even the Pens announcer was laughing.
Talbot, right? I think it was him, not sure, but yea that was a great Avery moment.
Favre 4 Ever
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where
Do you find all these stats? Is there like a website I could find players Corsi numbers and other stats?
behindthenet.ca
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on May 3, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I only wish they’d let him wear a mic. Fleury in his book, said Avery was about as popular in the dressing room as a case of the crabs, but he also mentions that when they played each other, every time Avery skated by him, he’d hold his thumb to the side of his nose and sniff.
New Yorkers love a wise ass misfit.
thumbs up for aves .
whats the rangers record when he is in the lineup something like 60 and 40 not sure but i,m just taking a guess. bottom line is every team would want this guy on there team ask sid the bitch or mr. cant get it done in the playoffs ovechkin. if torts lets him play a little more free out there we will see the avery of 07 that was awesome.
lohaus #54
yea in previous seasons its been great, but I believe I saw someone on this site comment that the record was below .500 this season w/ Avery in the lineup, cant remember who posted it.
Whats to blame for that? Who knows, Torts for sure and the annual roster turnover thats taken place the last few years.
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You blog full time and spelled patience wrong? Get an editor.
Sean Avery IS what SEAN AVERY is. Can put the puck in the net, has speed, can hit and grind, maybe fight here and there … Pretty good all around hockey player. Brings HEART to every game, sometimes more than the rest of the team. How many times have we seen Sean “ACT OUT” to try to get the rest of the Rangers to play with heart, or to just play like a professional hockey club?? Sean THRIVES when his ego is being fed and he FOCUSES. Torts and his constant on again / off again leash has got to stop. Avery already has 2 strikes against him … The League HATES him & the Ref’s HATE him (and they well do to him what the league says to do to him). How many times have we seen on TV … Sean get mugged, 2 ref’s and a linesman, CLEARLY watching the whole thing, then just skate away? The guy needs to play under a firm coach, but not Torts and his on again / off again leash, or you took a call and didn’t draw a call, I’m benching you attitude. Sean doesn’t really care if he’s liked or not in the locker room, he’s there to play hockey, get paid and feed his ego. Good player, put him on the right line on any team and he WILL rack up points and stay out of the box
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