CSN Philly wrote:Panaccio: Should Avery Have Been Suspended?
While Sean Avery may be an embarrassment to the NHL and its players, there are questions over whether his suspension was warranted by the league or whether it should have come from the Dallas Stars themselves.
That was among the opinions Wednesday from Flyer players, who reacted to Avery’s comments in Calgary on Tuesday about Dion Phaneuf’s girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert, who once dated Avery.
“I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada,” Avery said, asking the cameras to record him. “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. Enjoy the game tonight.”
Flyers’ tough guy Riley Cote said, “I wouldn’t expect anything less of him,” adding, that Avery crossed a line and deserved the indefinite suspension the NHL handed down Tuesday afternoon.
“With him, nothing is surprising,” Cote said. “That’s what he does – stir the pot. Something like that is crossing the line. The NHL did the right thing. He deserves to be stopped. If he had said that about [my wife], I’d take it personally, and I’m sure Phaneuf did, too.”
Scott Hartnell, who has one of the more bizarre sense of humor on the Flyers, admitted Avery’s comments weren’t funny and far exceeded other things he’s said in the past to irk players.
“Some things are fair game and others aren’t and it was a little over the edge,” Hartnell said. “I love the comments of Dallas owner [Tom Hicks] saying if it wasn’t for the league suspending him, it would have been him. [Avery] has to be held accountable for his actions.
“Every couple months, he comes out of the woodwork and does something off the wall. He hasn’t been reprimanded for it. Maybe it’s time he takes a look in the mirror. He’s not doing the right things. He’s not being a role model for kids. It’s time to wake him up.”
Hartnell said he felt bad for Phaneuf.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “You fall in love with a girl and it doesn’t really matter what she’s done in the past. I don’t know anything about [Cuthbert], but some things like that you stay away from.”
Former NHL Player Representative Derian Hatcher did not like the comments and agreed a suspension was in order. Yet Hatcher said there was talk among the players Wednesday whether such remarks are actually a suspendable offense.
“I don’t agree with what he said, but as far as the suspension, on what grounds are they suspending him?” Hatcher asked. “Can you do that?”
NHL Commissioner said, in announcing the suspension, it was because of conduct “detrimental” to the game.
“I agree with the suspension, but I am kinda curious about the grounds and whether he can come back and sue the league,” Hatcher said. “How does it work? He didn’t mention names. He didn’t use bad language.”
Though he is a friend of Avery, Hatcher said he can’t condone these comments.
“He went out of his way to grab the cameras,” Hatcher said. “ … I don’t know what’s going through his mind, but maybe he just likes the attention.”
Joffrey Lupul called Avery’s remarks, “classless.”
“It was basically mean,” Lupul said. “That’s something that shouldn’t have been said. On the other hand, I don’t know what the suspension was for. If they are saying, ‘sloppy seconds’ is derogatory, that I can understand.
“I don’t know if it’s the league that should be doing this. Maybe it’s his teammates and the team that should do it. And the guys on the other team ... I don’t know if this is suspension-worthy when there are other things going on, on the ice.”
Lupul said Avery’s remarks were “derogatory” against women, in general, and that the punishment might have been better handled by the Calgary players had Bettman not suspended Avery and allowed him to play Tuesday night.
Mike Knuble, one of the thoughtful quotes on the Flyers, admitted he was stunned.
“You can tell by watching it was pretty calculated what he was saying,” Knuble said. “It was obviously something prepared. It’s hard to say what his intentions were. Was he trying to get under someone’s … skin? Or help his team?”
Knuble said the NHL did the right thing by suspending Avery, if for no other reason than protecting him had he played against the Flames later on Tuesday.
“It squashed something really ugly from happening that night,” Knuble said. “For the owner, he stood up immediately … I’m sure the owner is a little bit embarrassed. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”