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What's next for Avery and Stars?

Friday, 12.05.2008 / 9:57 PM / News

By John Kreiser - NHL.com Columnist

Sean Avery will be eligible to return to the Dallas Stars on Dec. 16. But what kind of a welcome will he receive?

Avery was suspended for six games by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday for comments he made Tuesday morning after the Stars' morning skate at the Pengrowth Saddledome. The ban includes two games already served, plus Friday's home game against Colorado and the Stars' next three contests. Avery will also undergo counseling for anger management.

What happens after the suspension expires remains unclear.

Stars coach Dave Tippett said earlier this week that he didn't envision Avery being able to return to the team, and he reiterated that stance before Friday's 2-1 shootout victory over the Avalanche.

"I've stated my case. I think it would be hard for Sean to be able to come back in our locker room," he said before the game with the Avalanche at American Airlines Center. "But that's not for me to decide. That's for ownership and management to decide. I think they'll probably talk this week and come to me with their recommendation, and we'll go from there."

Co-General Manager Brett Hull conceded that he's not sure what will happen.

"Once the suspension is over and once we find out where the process he’s trying to go through is taking him, we’re going to have to sit down with (owner) Tom Hicks and the rest of our group and figure out what decisions we’re going to make going forward," said Hull, a former teammate of Avery's in Detroit who was instrumental in bringing him to Dallas. “Obviously, in anything, whether it’s business and sports, chemistry is important and we have to find out if the possibility of that chemistry exists — and if it doesn’t, we’ll have to go forward. It’s a decision that no matter what it is, it’s going to be what’s best for the Dallas Stars and the players and ownership group.”

Hull conceded that the kind of welcome Avery would receive in the dressing room will play a factor in the decision. 

"I think the team has a lot of input," Hull said. "When you look at the people in that room like Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow, Marty Turco — I think that these are guys that are a huge part of our team and we want them to be comfortable and happy and we want that room to be the best it can be to get wins. So they will definitely have their say. Whether we listen or not, that’s another question."

"I don’t know," Turco said when asked what it would take for Avery to be welcomed back. "I could personally forgive somebody for making a mistake or a few mistakes, but I think all of it goes a lot deeper than that.”

Modano said Avery's actions have diminished the franchise's image.

“I’m sure it’s a little tarnished,” Modano said. “We’ve all been here long enough to build something that’s positive throughout the community, throughout the League, our perception that we’ve always tried to hold ourselves to a high standard of accountability with the fans and within the game and respecting the game and the organization."

Modano also said the Stars have to concentrate their attention on trying to get back into the playoff race in the Western Conference — where they're tied for last place — rather than worrying about Avery.

“I think you have to determine whether he’s coming back to begin with," Modano added. “It’s been stated that it’s going to be difficult if that happens, from Dave's and (co-GM) Les Jackson’s comments and Tom (Hicks’) obviously. As players, I think we’ve kind of washed our hands of the situation. After today, we’re not going to discuss it or talk about it or him. We have to focus on hockey and our jobs and that’s all we can do."

Alternate captain Stephane Robidas said prior to the game that the Stars can't let the situation distract them from trying to climb in the standings.

"It shouldn't be a factor," he said. "We can't control what happened. We have to focus on winning hockey games. We need wins."

Avery has been a controversial figure in his previous stops — Detroit, Los Angeles and New York. He signed a four-year deal with the Stars this summer after spending a little more than a season with the Rangers. In 23 games, Avery has 3 goals and 10 points. He's plus-2, third on the club, and is second in the NHL with 77 penalty minutes.

“I have no problem with what he’s done on the ice, it’s the other things we have to take care of,” Hull noted. “His on-ice play is fine, he plays very hard. It's the other things. It’s the fans, it’s the refs, it’s the media, it’s all those things and until he can learn to control his emotions outside of the game, I don’t think it’ll ever work, so he needs to fix that part of his life."

Material from team online and broadcast media was used in this story






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