Why Sean Avery is fired up about Rangers in 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Count Sean Avery as one who was fired up when Artemi Panarin blasted T.J. Oshie with a massive check in Game 2 of the New York Rangers’ first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
And the outspoken former Rangers forward has a message for those — like ESPN analyst P.K. Subban — who believe the hit was anything but fierce and legal.
“That’s a clean hit,” Avery said in a video posted on social media. “It’s the playoffs and if you don’t like playoff hockey, then go watch basketball because the New York Rangers are clearly not f****** around. That is obvious.”
Avery racked up 1,533 penalty minutes and a several suspensions when he played 580 NHL games with the Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars from 2001-12. He knows all about clean hits and dirty ones, walking that fine line as a physical threat throughout his career.
So, it’s no surprise he enjoyed the team toughness Panarin and his teammates showed in the 4-3 win that gave New York a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.
“We are not here to play … patty cake,” Avery continued. “We’re not here to make friends. This team is a f****** team. I’ll say it again, that’s a clean hit.”
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Sean Avery hypes massive Artemi Panarin hit in Game 2 against Capitals
Avery went on to compare Panarin to Walter White, the fictional character from the “Breaking Bad” television series, since both are fearless and, at least at the start of the season for Panarin, bald.
With that, Avery was just warming up his repertoire.
He then chose to totally create a funny, though false, narrative about how Panarin acquired his nickname.
“They call him ‘The Breadman’ because he’s in your f****** kitchen 24/7 making bread,” he said, referring to Panarin’s relentless attack mode.
The 44-year-old ex-Blueshirt knows a thing or two about getting in an opponent’s kitchen, and head, this time of the season. Avery was both a super pest and key playoff contributor with the Rangers, with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and 69 penalty minutes in 28 postseason games.
Avery was at the height of his powers during the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, harassing Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils at every turn and scoring three goals to help lead the Rangers to a 4-1 series win.
But that was then, and this is now. And Avery had one final thing to say in his video.
“That is a clean hit. That is playoff f****** hockey.”
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