Contrary to a published report, Sean Avery has not been put into Stage 1 of the joint NHL-NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Modification Program.
But that doesn't mean it won't happen at some point in the near future, perhaps in a matter of days or weeks.
Avery, who is still being paid by the Dallas Stars even though he is no longer welcome in that organization, is undergoing counseling with doctors from the NHL-NHLPA program but it is the medical people, in consultation with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly, who decide when an NHL player is to be formally entered into Stage 1, which ensures a medical leave from the game with pay while undergoing treatment.
Once a player is entered into the program, it is the doctors who decide when, or if, a player is prepared to return to active duty in the NHL.
It should be noted that all players who enter Stage 1 are not necessarily dealing with substance abuse issues because, as the name implies, the care and treatment also exists for Behavioral Modification.