Ken Campbell at The Hockey News takes the NHL and John Tortorella to task for their contradictions on Sean Avery...Campbell on the NHL...
"It was all Avery all the time for NBC. And given their unique partnership in the game of the week telecasts, you’d have to think the NHL head office would have been able to put the brakes on that idea if it had seen fit to do so.
After all, this is the same league that, just four months ago, banished Avery for six games and ordered him into anger management counseling for having a potty mouth. It almost derailed his NHL career and the suspension was triple what Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers got for almost ending Patrice Bergeron’s career early last season."
On Tortorella...
"Rangers coach John Tortorella, who as a television analyst called for Avery to be banished from the NHL for good, has the Rangers back in the thick of the playoff race in large part because Avery has played so well for New York since his return. Not surprisingly, he’s now singing Avery’s praises."
...i don't believe Tortorella is contradicting himself. As a TV analyst he's supposed to exaggerate things for ratings. And now as a coach he's finally gotten to know Avery (Torts has said he never knew him beforehand) and realizes what a talented player he really is.
...on the other hand, the NHL is a walking contradiction. How can you almost throw a player out of the league then when he comes back from a lengthy suspension have an isolated camera on the guy the entire game ? While I agree marketing Avery as mush as possible is great way to promote the game as he's the most recognizable player in the league to non-traditional hockey fans Bettman must be criticized for his handling of Avery.
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