Is Avery a goner?

From John Dellapina of the NY Daily News:

I simply don’t see how Avery is a Ranger next season unless, in the next seven days, he completely capitulates and takes what Sather has been offering since last January. Since Avery isn’t big on giving in (that defiance makes him the player he is), figure on him wearing a different sweater next season.

Here’s why: While the Rangers might have determined that he has worn out his welcome in their dressing room (or at least isn’t welcome there anymore at more than $2.75 million per), there are plenty of other teams that have yet to tire of his act and can absolutely use the unique contributions he can make. There is no denying that, in the short term, he is a major difference-maker nor that, without him, the Rangers never would have made the 2007 playoffs. So it is inconceivable that one of the other 29 NHL teams won’t make him an offer on July 1 that either meets or exceeds the approximately $4 million per that he believes he’s worth.

Read more thoughts about the Rangers from The Blueshirts Blog here.

I'm with Sather on this one. While Avery is a pretty good player, his talent is always overshadowed by his antics on the ice. As much as I think he helped the Rangers this season and last, I believe his importance to the team has been blown a little bit of of proportion by some of the NY media. The Rangers would be better off investing the money for Avery on a defenseman.