Goons take night off in Game 1 of Rangers-Devils

It's remarkable to me that anyone who has watched Sean Avery play day in and day out this season can so casually and thoughtlessly refer to him as a "goon".
No question, he is chippy, mouthy, even borderline unsportsmanlike in some of his actions. But his intimidation approach is almost exclusively verbal in nature, and the majority of his hits are clean, by any standard. Most importantly, and much to the great surprise of all Rangers fans, he is an excellent hockey player, who makes great passes, finishes his shots, always hustles and rarely is out of the play or commits careless errors. Please resist the urge to apply labels for headline appeal. Sean Avery has had a large hand in the Rangers success this season, and in the late season surge they experienced last year.

John Jeansonne, you are an idiot and please go back to covering golf or whatever idiots like you do and dont bother even trying to understand hockey

"For one thing, Avery's cut was the result of his own shot" It was shanny's shot from the conner that old chubby fliped up into averys face.

This reporter is an idiot. Avery is far from a goon. I guess he must think of Adam Graves as a goon. I don't know of many goons that will have their number raised to the rafters. Fighting is as much an art of hockey as slam dunks in basketball. If you don't like or appreciate it, or if it offends you, turn off the hockey game and turn on figure skating.

Right you are!!!
And John Jeansonne is The Devil.

R Brister wrote:

This reporter is an idiot. Avery is far from a goon. I guess he must think of Adam Graves as a goon. I don't know of many goons that will have their number raised to the rafters. Fighting is as much an art of hockey as slam dunks in basketball. If you don't like or appreciate it, or if it offends you, turn off the hockey game and turn on figure skating.

Goons usually sit during the playoffs, you won't see them until the team that's being eliminated from the playoffs looks for payback against the winning team. You want to score, not hit and chance taking penalties.

Avery isn't a goon, he's more of an unlikable Essa Tikkenen.

Avery also is not a Adam Graves, Graves had more talent.

Avery is playing better right now than he has in his whole career thus far. Wanna know why? He's shooting for some team to give him a 3-5 yr 5mil per year contract.

Fine by me that he's playing above par. Watch, as soon as some other team ponies up big bucks for this guy he's back to the old Avery.

Rangers in 5.

The idea of a hockey goon in the sense that it used to exist is long gone from NHL hockey as a whole. The rule changes and the speed of the game have made them a liability as a roster spot. Besides that, Avery wouldn't and doesn't even come close to what anyone (who knows hockey!) would consider a goon or ebforcer. Agitating (and fighting on occaision) are just not even close.