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Sean Avery
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Games
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Goals
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Assists
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Points
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+/-
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Regular Season
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29
|
8
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12
|
20
|
+11
|
|
Playoffs
|
10
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
-3
|
How important was Sean Avery to the Rangers this year? Let’s first look at the most important stat there is, Wins-Losses-OTL/SOL. The Rangers were 25-24-4 without Sean in the lineup. They went a remarkable 17-6-6 with him. To put it another way, in games they had him they earned 69% of the points they could have taken, without him they earned a paltry 51% of all possible points. 1 player, 18% increase in point production. That is not just amazing. It is MIND BOGGLING. You’ll notice that Sean Avery will finish with the highest overall metrics rating. This isn’t as misleading as it seems. His worth is accurately reflected in how well he played in every single facet of the game. Offensively, defensively, aggression, heart, grit, everything you could ask for. The guy plays on the PP, plays on the PK, scores big goals, drives opponents nuts, and can win games single handedly without every putting a point up. When we got Avery I was pretty happy. Not berserk happy, just pretty happy. I figured we added Ryan Hollweg with hands. But thats not true at all. This guy is an invaluable player.
Perhaps the single most important thing that Sean did though was to change the overall attitude of the team. They went from turn the other cheek to hit you in the face with a sledgehammer, overnight. Its scary really how pansyish this team was pre-Avery. What more Seans antics actually helped Jagr, and Shanny. Not only did he help further balance the lineup (it needs more still though) it also made guys focus on him instead of them. If hes getting all the attention, then a guy like Jagr is flying (relatively) under the radar, and if Jagr is flying under the radar…boy oh boy are you in for a world of hurt.
Sean also seemed to step up in the leadership role. After losing the final game against the Sabres Sean went on the record taking the loss as his own. It takes a big man to do something like that, and frankly hes not that far off. Sean had so many chances against Buffalo but just couldnt bury them. And therein lies what Sean needs to work on this year. The guy got at least 4 breakaways in the playoffs to my recollection, and didnt buy a single one. Thats not good. He needs to work on those because I have a feeling we will see more of the same.
Another problem Sean has is that he is playing as a 2nd liner. The problem being that if he isnt scoring, then it can be looked at as a negative, whereas those of us who have seen him on a daily basis knows he has far more value than just his scoring. Ideally we would be another players to push Sean to Cullens line, giving us 3 legit scoring lines, and moving more talent onto the fourth getting us closer to having 4 scoring lines.
If I am the GM of the Rangers, Sean is getting a 4 or 5 year contract extension, and I would LOVE to see this guy in Ranger blue till the day he retires. Its rare for a player to be as popular, overnight, as this guy, without being an offensive or defensive juggernaut.
-Inferno