Los Angeles Kings forward Sean Avery - never one to shy away from opinion - had plenty of strong words regarding Phoenix Coyotes defenceman Denis Gauthier and French Canadian hockey players.
When asked about the blueliner's hit on Kings teammate Jeremy Roenick in a preseason game Sunday night, Avery did not hold back digging into Gauthier and Quebec-born NHLers.
"I think it was a clean hit," he explained on Tuesday. "I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up."
"I'd think if a guy like Brett Hull was coming up the middle, somebody probably wouldn't have stepped up and hit him, but like I said, a typical move from a guy wearing a visor that certainly doesn't like to get scratched at all."
Avery later apologized through a team-issued press release.
"I certainly did not want to offend anyone with my comments earlier today," the statement read. "I am an emotional guy who sometimes says things that shouldn't be said. I apologize if I offended anyone."
Gauthier insists he wasn't trying to injure Jeremy Roenick when he levelled the veteran Kings.
Roenick, who was livid with Gauthier after the game, suffered the 11th documented concussion of his career as a result of the clean hit that Gauthier delivered during the second period.
Roenick said that he has spoken with Gauthier and buried the hatchet after a lenghty discussion.
It isn't the first time Avery has made controversial remarks surrounding the game.
During the NHL lockout, he told Toronto sports radio The Fan 590 that he wouldn't mind the possibility of dropping NHL teams and jobs at the expense of players from overseas.
"I think they can eliminate a lot of Europeans who are mediocre and are taking a lot of jobs," Avery told The Fan 590 in February.
When told that the NHL Players' Association did a lot of things for the best interests of all players - regardless of background - Avery maintained that it was his own opinion.
"The Association does a lot of things," he said. "I'm just talking for me."
When the lockout ended in July, Avery said NHL players were wrong and sorry while holding back no punches on NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow.
"We were brainwashed," he told the L.A. Times about the decision to follow the union's advice during contract talks with the owners.
"I am furious at Bob. Bob thought he was bigger than he was. Bob brainwashed players like me."