Sean Avery retires from NHL on live reality TV show

Sean Avery, the NHL's one-time bad boy, speaking during the on-line "After Show" of Bravo TV's "Watch What Happens Live" told host Andy Cohen and a live audience that  his 10-year NHL career was over.

Cohen, reading from a fan's question aloud, asked, "What are you're thoughts about your hockey future right now?  What are your plans for the future?"

"I'm officially retired," the former New York Rangers winger said.  "I threw my skates in the, uh, Hudson."

"It's in the river," Avery joked.

It's not known if Avery filed any papers with the NHL and the NHL Player's Association had no comment.

Avery played only 15 games this season for the Rangers after a good training camp.  The team waived him while he was with the team in Sweden preparing for the regular season overseas.

"I don't want to jam up Sean here— I think we have better players than Sean Avery, plain and simple," Rangers head coach John Tortorella said on October 4.

The Rangers put Avery on re-entry waivers on Halloween and he returned to the Rangers after fans at Madison Square Garden had been chanting for his return.

 Avery played only 15 games— with three goals and 21 penalty minutes— before he and Tortorella clashed again.  The team reassigned Avery to the Connecticut Whale on Dec. 30— right before the Winter Classic Game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

He last played for the Whale on Jan. 27 and was not eligible for the AHL postseason.

The troublesome Avery is in the final year of a four-year, $15.5 million contract he signed with the Dallas Stars in 2008.

He played 580 games through parts of 10 seasons with the Rangers, Stars, Kings and Red Wings— scoring 90 goals with 157 assists and accruing 1,533 penalty minutes.

The 31-year-old Avery was a character both on and off the ice.  His chippy style of play on the ice was reviled by opponents and the NHL alike, but loved by the hometown fans.

Outside the rink, he dated celebrities and once interned at the fashion magazine Vogue during the summer of 2008.

Later, Avery's agent Pat Morris told the New York Post that his client intends to retire at the end of the year and pursue a career with an advertising agency.

"I guess that was my retirement press conference," Avery told the New York Post.  "I couldn't be happier about the situation."

Rangers Plan To Honor N.J. Cop Beaten After Flyers Hockey Game

The New York Rangers plan to honor the police officer who was beaten by thugs outside a popular Philadelphia restaurant following last week's NHL Winter Classic.

The New York Post reports that Woodbridge, N.J. police officer and Iraq war veteran Neal Auricchio will be the guest of honor at the Rangers Feb. 27 game against the New Jersey Devils.

The Rangers head coach John Tortorella called the recovering Auricchio and asked him to be his personal guest.

While waiting in line outside Geno's Steak House after the game, Auricchio and a friend were attacked, apparently because they were wearing New York Rangers jerseys.  The Rangers won the game, 3-2.

Police released video footage of several men wearing Philadelphia Flyers jerseys sucker-punching one victim— knocking him to the ground and beating him— and then attacking Auricchio, the second victim.

A man boasted about the brawl on a Facebook blog and was questioned by police.

No arrests have been made in the attack.

Auricchio is still nursing a concussion but was more than happy to accept the red carpet invitation to Madison Square Garden.

"It absolutely lifted his spirits," said wife Maria Auricchio.  "He's, and we're all, such big Rangers fans.  It was great to get [Tortorella's call]."