In December, when John Tortorella told his television audience that Sean Avery didn't belong in the NHL, it would have been unthinkable that a little more than four months later, the two would have such mutual admiration.
Yet as Avery spoke to a select handful of reports on the Rangers' break-up day, he said there's no other coach he'd want to play for because of what he believes Tortorella can get out of him.
And Avery believes he benefited from Tortorella benching him in Game 5.
"We had a talk before Game 7, he needs to stay on me," Avery said. "Really, it's the first time in my career there's a guy that's going to make me a better player. There's not going to be things I agree with all the time."
In many respects, Avery said he and Tortorella are very similar people except that, "I'm a better dresser."
"There's no other coach I'd rather play for," Avery said.
Avery added in Tortorella, the Rangers have a coach who can teach them how to win.
"With the exception of (Scott) Gomez and (Chris) Drury, I don't think we know what it is to win yet," Avery said.
Avery said he played very tentatively in Game 6 because he was worried about hurting the team with penalties. But a chat with a girlfriend made him think.
She told Avery, "You're just not the same player when you're not into the game."
Avery asked what she meant.
"I can tell when I look at your face in a game if you're not into the game."
"I thought about it and if the organization, my teammates, the coaches believe in me, I just have to go out and play my game," Avery said. "I can't worry about the suits on Madison Avenue. I've got to play my game. I'm not going to be perfect all the time. At times I will do something I shouldn't. But I'm not perfect. But I do know that's the way I have to play the game."
Avery said being tentative was to be expected because he feels the referees are watching him closely.
"How could I not?" Avery said. "I didn't know whether my actions hurt hurt the team just because of the unpredictability of it. That's a fact. I can handle the abuse I take. I don't want to be put on a separate page and have my own rule book. I don't think that's the way the sport should be governed."
Avery said he would take the summer to work to improve both his game and as a person but he would not be interning at a fashion magazine.
He also teased the media by saying he would have "more fun that you guys can imagine."
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