The phone calls are out, but we haven't heard from Toronto yet on today's arbitration hearing for Sean Avery.
For his numbers last season, a fair award would be about $1.8 million for a year for what the rambunctious Avery can bring on and off the ice.
The arbitrator, who must rule within 48 hours, isn't supposed to weigh intangibles, just the numbers.
By all means, Avery's in-your-face style certainly stirred the dozing Rangers in the final 29 games after he was acquired from the Kings. And for the most part, he kept the filter between his brain and mouth in place.
But he slipped off the wagon near the end of the season and referees warned Coach Tom Renney about his yapping.
And saying he wanted "to hurt" the Sabres wasn't very classy, especially in hindsight, after he came up scoreless in six games.
Avery, 27, is an asset, albeit a volatile one.
He was the perfect guy for the team at the time of the trade; over 82 games with a different mix of players, who knows?
Marcel Hossa's hearing is Thursday.
More later...
Comments (5)
I might be wrong but I thought the arbitrator in hockey (different than baseball) has to pick one of the 2 numbers. Either the Rangers offer (1.3 I heard) or what he wants (2.6) and the arbitrator can't pick a number in between.
You are wrong.
Arbitration hearings can get nasty (as this one apparently has) but hopefully Sean knows this is just business and will get a long term deal at some point later this season.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that the arbitrator CAN weigh intangibles.
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