This afternoon Sportsnet and Newsday are both reporting that sources have informed them the Dallas Stars plan to place Sean Avery on re-entry waivers on Monday. This move, which has been rumored for weeks, would get the ball rolling on a return for Avery to Madison Square Garden or another NHL facility. The Stars almost certainly have no interest in playing Avery themselves, after he was suspended by the NHL for remarks about Dion Phanuef's girlfriend and subsequently told to in mid-December that the Stars would not welcome him back. Dallas put him through waivers earlier this month in the hopes of having another team pick Avery up. No one budged. If he is put through re-entry waivers, that could change.
If Avery clears re-entry waivers or is picked up by any team, they will only be obligated to pay half of his salary. He was assigned to the Hartford Wolfpack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, and has played six games there so far with two points to show for it.
It's fairly obvious at this point that Avery will be picked up but he Rangers if he is put through re-entry waivers. However, the looming question is whether or not there is another team with a higher waiver priority (read: lower position in the standings) than the Rangers.
At this point, it seems like the Rangers are the only fit for Avery, either because other teams wouldn't want the PR headache or have no need for him. Any team already out of the playoff race should have no interest in him, leaving only teams in the hunt and behind the Rangers in the standings. Those teams, at this moment, are the Sabres, Hurricanes and Panthers in the East and 11 teams in the Western Conference. Almost all of those teams out west still have a chance at the playoffs.
So, now we have to play the waiting game: Is anyone desperate enough to grab Sean Avery before the Rangers do?
With so many teams in the playoff hunt and a couple who haven't sniffed playoff success in years (Columbus, Florida, Los Angeles, St. Louis) you've got to believe someone might be desperate enough.
