Tim Wharnsby
TORONTO — From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 9:10PM EST Last updated on Friday, Apr. 03, 2009 2:36PM EDT
New York Rangers agitator Sean Avery has been hit in the wallet for igniting a pregame scuffle between his team and the Toronto Maple Leafs last Saturday.
Avery was interviewed at the NHL offices in Toronto yesterday by the league's director of hockey operations, Colin Campbell, and the result was a $2,500 (U.S.) fine against the Rangers' forward — the maximum allowed under the collective labour agreement.
The Rangers were fined $25,000, the Maple Leafs $10,000 and Toronto forward Darcy Tucker $1,000 for his part in the fracas, which developed during the warm-up before New York's 3-2 shootout victory at the Air Canada Centre.
"The unprofessional conduct of Avery in initiating this altercation, less than a week after being involved in an incident in the pregame warm-up against New Jersey, is the basis for this discipline," Campbell said in a statement. "Tucker also bears some responsibility for his inappropriate response. Both organizations must also be held accountable for the players' actions."
Avery did his best to draw New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur and Devils winger David Clarkson into a pregame dustup back on Nov. 3.
Avery issued a statement yesterday, but there was no apology for his actions.
Instead, Avery confirmed The Globe and Mail's report that he is considering legal action against Toronto all-sport radio station The Fan 590 after an account on Monday that said he directed insensitive remarks at Leafs forward Jason Blake, who is battling cancer.
"I am extremely upset and hurt that false and damaging comments were attributed to me regarding Jason Blake," Avery said.
"I made no such comments. I have lost two grandfathers to cancer and have been a consistent contributor to multiple cancer-related charities, first and foremost, Hockey Fights Cancer. I am unable to comment further, as the matter is now being addressed by legal counsel."
Blake was asked yesterday whether he had confirmation that Avery had used taunts about his medical condition.
"No, I never said that," Blake retorted.
"You hear different things in a game," he added. "There are grown men out there hitting each other and things happen. That's not the worst thing that has ever been said and I don't even know if he said it."
The pregame scuffle began with Avery yelling at Tucker along the boards in between the benches. Blake appeared to get caught in the middle when Tucker and Avery began shoving each other.
Tucker and Avery later fought in the first period.
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