The Avery Rule...

[Mr. TBS]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/...very_incident/

The Avery Rule:

"An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender's face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play," Colin Campbell, the NHL director of hockey operations said in a statement.

"I've played for 15 years in this league. I've been watching games for 33 years. I had never seen that in my life," Brodeur said. "I don't think that kind of behaviour should be done in front of the net, but there is no rule for it."

"It's almost an unwritten rule," Montreal rookie goalie Carey Price said. "It's like when you're a kid in the backseat that's going, 'I'm not touching you, I'm not touching you.' When I was about seven or eight years old, I would probably try and get in your bubble like that."

"That's not something that anyone writing the rule book has anticipated, and I don't think that we view that as part of our game," said Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford, an NHL goalie for 13 seasons. "With that being said, Sean Avery didn't do anything to break any rules.

"I've never seen that before," Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Ryan Whitney said. "It seemed odd to me. He's not in a position to get a rebound if there is one because his stick is up in the air."

"He's an idiot," Penguins forward Gary Roberts said.

"If they have to change the rule because somebody wants to be unsportsmanlike and deface the game of hockey, I'm all for it," Stars goalie Marty Turco said. "Hopefully, guys understand the integrity of the sport...."That's just something you don't do. It's kind of bush league. Hopefully it's the last we see of it."

"Here we are trying to sell the game, and stuff like that is going on," Devils forward John Madden said. "I just find it childish and I don't agree with any of it.

"That's just Sean Avery being Sean Avery," Ottawa Senators forward Chris Neil said. "It's kind of like an instigator. He may not be doing anything, but he is initiating."

[slowpokemcgee]

Gary Roberts said it best.

[buffalofan19]

Here's the thing. They didn't really change the rule.

All Colin Campbell basically said is "just to clarify, what Avery did falls under the definition of 'unsportsmanlike conduct', and we expect the referees to call it as such". There was a ton of confusion as to whether it should be called or not, and Campbell cleared the air.

Oh, and go figure Chris Neil would be the one to defend Avery on that.

[Sabres Cutie]

Hands down Gary Roberts wins for saying what we ALL want to say.