STOCKHOLM (AP) - Sean Avery appears to have lost out on the final spot on the New York Rangers’ roster.
The noted agitator is likely headed to the waiver wire after being beaten out by fellow forward Erik Christensen. Avery could end up on another NHL team if claimed off waivers by Wednesday, on the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Connecticut, or loaned to a team in Europe.
Avery was a healthy scratch for New York’s final exhibition games in Slovakia and Switzerland. The Rangers open the regular season this week with games in Sweden.
“I think we have better players than Sean Avery _ plain and simple,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said Tuesday. “I can dodge it 10 different ways without trying to run Sean over. I thought he had a good camp.
“But I think with the makeup of our team, and some of the people we’ve added, and some of the youth we’ve added as far as depth put Sean in this spot.”
Avery is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $1.93 million cap hit for the Rangers. New York and Dallas split payments on Avery’s $4 million salary.
If Avery goes unclaimed, the Rangers could send him to the AHL and have his salary come off their cap.
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