Sean Avery was suspended indefinitely yesterday for comments that he made before the game, presumably directed at Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf.
"I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about"
The "sloppy seconds" that Avery was referencing in the clip was Elisha Cuthbert, Avery's ex-girlfriend, who is currently dating Phaneuf.Avery's teammates didn't appear to be thrilled with his comments, and his team's front office wasn't happy about it either. Stars owner Tom Hicks said that he would have suspended Avery anyway, even if the NHL had not done so.
"Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so."
Either Hicks was as upset about it as the NHL brass, or he's just trying to show an outward display of support for their decision.
Depending on how long the suspension lasts, it seems like this is a bit of an overreaction. Without a doubt, it was a disrespectful comment. But very few have ever confused Avery with a classy individual. Everyone probably should have expected this sort of thing from him at some point, and judging by his teammates' comments, it's clear that they weren't shocked at all. Stars goalie Marty Turco said that "we expect that out of him, like we have all year, and the show continues."
After the game, Turco's comments on the situation were a bit different. Instead of the somewhat apathetic attitude he appeared to have before the game, he seemed a bit more upset about it.
"It's just so disappointing for guys who have been around here for a long time and have taken a lot of pride in how this organization has been perceived. The disrespect of this morning and other things over the course of the season have been extremely disappointing for us. It's a slap in the face"
We'll see how long this suspension lasts, and we'll see how it compares to other recent suspensions, like that of Jarkko Ruutu, who was suspended last month for throwing an elbow at an opponent. It's hard to believe that Avery's comments can hurt as much as an elbow to the face, but we'll see if the NHL sees it differently.
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