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TORONTO — The agent for New York Rangers forward Sean Avery was steaming mad that a radio report yesterday suggested that taunts made by his client during the pregame skate on Saturday evening were directed toward Toronto Maple Leafs winger Jason Blake, who is battling against cancer.
The FAN 590 in Toronto reported that an unnamed Rangers player said Avery ignited a scuffle with Leafs forward Darcy Tucker because of insensitive remarks.
Although Avery did not publicly comment yesterday on the radio station's accusation, behind closed doors he and other Rangers said the remarks made by Avery were directed at Tucker and his family.
"I have now talked to Sean. He has indicated to me that he did not say that [anything about Blake]," said agent Patrick Morris, who's based in Mississauga. "He is treating this matter seriously and now the matter is in the hands of his legal advisers."
Darcy Tucker and Sean Avery during one of their many tussles during Saturday's 3-2 shootout win for the Rangers. (Mike Cassese/Reuters)
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Blake and Tucker, with whom Avery jostled during the pregame skate and the game, wouldn't divulge the nature of Avery's scorn. After Saturday's game, Tucker would only refer to what Avery said as "classless."
"I'm not going to get into what was said and what was not said," Tucker said yesterday. "Like I've said, this is out of our hands right now. We'll stay out of it."
Rangers general manager Glen Sather attempted to put a muzzle on Avery after New York's 3-2 shootout victory, but the agitator talked to a few reporters and was asked to explain the pregame fracas. "Just the usual Sean Avery stuff … letting everybody know that we're going to war," he said.
The office of NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell began investigating the incident yesterday, but neither Avery nor Tucker was interviewed. The league, however, is expected to discuss the incident with Avery at some point this week.
Any discipline would stem from the pregame fracas. Last spring in the Stanley Cup playoffs, there were pregame skate incidents in the Minnesota Wild-Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators-Buffalo Sabres series, but no fines or suspensions were handed out after the NHL investigated.
In the past, players only have been reprimanded for verbal incidents if the accused confesses.
When Chris Simon, Craig Berube and Bryan Marchment were suspended for racial slurs in the late 1990s against black players Mike Grier, Donald Brashear and Peter Worrell, the three admitted and apologized for their verbal blunders.
When then Edmonton Oilers forward Georges Laraque, who is black, accused Avery of calling him a "monkey" in October of 2005, Avery claimed Laraque fabricated the incident and no suspension was levied.
A few weeks before that incident, Avery found himself in hot water during training camp when criticized Phoenix Coyotes defenceman Denis Gauthier for a hit to his Los Angeles Kings teammate at the time, Jeremy Roenick.
"I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not backing anything up," he said.
