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Rangers waive Sean Avery for second time this season

Toronto Maple Leafs v New York Rangers

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Sean Avery #16 of the New York Rangers watches the action between the Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2011 in New York City. The Leafs defeated the Rangers 4-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Bruce Bennett

New York Rangers GM Glen Sather got his way earlier this season by bringing Sean Avery back up through waivers, but it only seemed like a matter of time before he’d be out of favor once again. That time appears to be now, as ESPN New York’s Katie Strang reports that the Rangers waived Avery - again.

Any of the NHL’s other 29 teams are free to snatch the infamous agitator at his “full” price of just under $2 million.* If past league behavior is any indication, it’s unlikely that teams will have much interest in him unless he goes on re-entry waivers (again). Even then, most - if not all - of the league’s other GMs are unlikely to want to deal with the Avery circus.

The well-publicized pest has three goals and zero assists in 15 games, with a relatively subdued 21 PIM. It’s fairly well known that he essentially lives in John Tortorella’s doghouse, though, which is illustrated quite clearly by the fact that he received less than 10 minutes of ice time in all but two of his appearances this season and has been a scratch for nine consecutive games. It’s reasonable to wonder if he could be more effective if given a more legitimate chance.

Avery probably loves playing in New York, but for the sake of his career, he should root for another team to pick him up on waivers or re-entry waivers (if they call him back up). He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in July and his value will be at an all-time low if he fails to prove that he can still be a viable asset at the NHL level.

* - His cap hit is $1,937,500, to be exact. Full is in quotations marks because the Dallas Stars are actually responsible for another $1,937,500 thanks to their mishap with Avery.