Sean Avery faces the long arm of the NHL law after the Dallas Stars' superpest met with league commissioner Gary Bettman in New York to discuss his inappropriate public comments made prior to the Stars' game in Calgary on Tuesday.
Stars co-general manager Brett Hull - who took part in the meeting with Avery, Bettman, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, Senior Executive Vice President Colin Campbell, agent Pat Morris, NHLPA General Counsel Ian Penny, and Glenn Healy of the NHL Players' Association - said a decision on Avery is expected later Thursday or Friday morning.
"I haven't made a decision yet," Bettman added on his XM Radio program on Thursday afternoon. "I want to take the opportunity to spend a little time thinking about what transpired at the hearing and everything that I was told and that needs to be considered. And I want to reflect on it, which means that either sometime later this afternoon or tomorrow morning we will render a decision and I will make it public."
Perhaps the most hated man in hockey, Avery made headlines for all the wrong reasons after making disparaging remarks about ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert, the Canadian-born actress currently dating Calgary Flames defenceman Dion Phaneuf.
His comments were strongly condemned by Dallas coach Dave Tippett and owner Tom Hicks.
Avery, who signed a four-year, $15 million deal with the Stars this past summer, has three goals and 10 points in 23 games this season. He spent the previous 1 1/2 seasons with the New York Rangers and got plenty of attention last spring after using questionable tactics to block the view of New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
It's not the first has gotten himself into trouble. While with the Los Angeles Kings from 2003 to 2007, Avery publicly criticized management of the Players' Association and NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell, made disparaging remarks about French Canadians wearing visors and was involved in heated arguments with Anaheim Ducks broadcaster Brian Hayward and Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy.
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