I hope you all enjoy your holidays!

In the third episode of our video series, we meet Mr Sean Avery, a professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers. The worlds of fashion and sport are closely related in many respects, but Mr Avery is rare in being a successful athlete (regarded by many as one of the NHL’s best players) who also harbours a desire to work in fashion. He has not only interned at American Vogue magazine and guest-edited the Men’s Vogue website, but also hopes to become a fashion editor when he retires from the ice. Here, the Toronto-born 31-year-old, who currently resides in New York City (where he also owns a bar called Warren 77), offers up his views on dressing for a big city. “When you walk into Madison Square Garden every night, it gives you this feeling like there’s something very special going on here [in New York] and I always try to have my clothes reflect that.” Discover more of his views on style by watching the film above.

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The New York Rangers have officially placed Sean Avery on re-entry waivers, signaling the fan favorite will likely return to the team.

Assuming Avery clears re-entry waivers at noon Tuesday, he could be recalled in time for Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Although another team could claim Avery and block his return to the Rangers, it is unlikely that will happen. The controversial winger went unclaimed when placed on waivers earlier this month and, in multiple recent interviews, expressed a reluctance to play anywhere else besides New York.

“Sean’s biggest strength are his legs. He’s a terrific skater and obviously a big part of his game is his forechecking ability, his play underneath the hashmark. We want him to play to his strengths and also work on the other parts of the game away from the puck.”

The 31-year-old, who carries a $1.9 million salary cap charge, was waived on Oct. 4, three days before the Rangers opened their season in Sweden. He was then assigned to the Rangers’ minor league affiliate — the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League — but was kept off the ice for almost two weeks while rehabbing a shoulder injury.

After his first practice with the Whale in Hartford on Oct. 19, Avery told ESPNNewYork.com that he didn’t think he would ever wear a Rangers uniform again.

“Probably not,” he said. “I doubt it.”

Less than two weeks later, his fortune appears to have changed. The Rangers (4-3-3) have struggled with consistency and maintaining the blue-collar identity they cultivated last season, and could use the feisty forward’s energy and forechecking ability.

Fans certainly think he can help the middling team find their way. One fan in Section 427 erected a huge banner that read: “AVERY 16 SEND TORTS TO THE WHALE” during the team’s home opener at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Chants of “We want Avery!” have also become a rallying cry over the past two games for Garden faithful displeased with the team’s current state.

Avery played his first game of the season for the Whale on Friday, scoring an empty-net goal and earning a five-minute fighting major immediately afterward. In the Whale’s 3-2 shootout win over the Worcester Sharks on Saturday, Avery scored the game-winner.

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After the New York Rangers began the season on a seven-game road trip because of renovations to Madison Square Garden, the team finally returned home on Thursday night. The pregame excitement — featuring players entering the arena via a blue carpet — didn’t last, as the Toronto Maple Leafs spoiled things with a 4-2 victory.

Missing from the festivities: Winger Sean Avery, a fan favorite who was waived and sent to the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Connecticut on Oct. 5. Some fans decided to use the home opener to voice their displeasure with that decision.

Before the puck even dropped, a fan in an upper-level section hung a banner reading “16 Avery. Send Torts To The Whale” in support of winger Avery:

According to Jesse Spector of Sporting News, the banner was removed before the first period was over. A season-ticket holder named “Don” told ESPN New York that the reason he made the banner was in protest to Avery losing his spot in the Rangers’ lineup to Kris Newbury(notes). He also said he plans to have more banners as the season goes on.

In the third period, fans upped their earlier support for the former Rangers pest and began chanting “We Want Avery”:

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HARTFORD, Conn. — Controversial winger and Rangers fan favorite Sean Avery skated for the first time Wednesday since being waived, but said he doubts he’ll ever be recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate.

“Probably not,” Avery told ESPNNewYork.com. “I doubt it.”

Avery, who has been rehabbing an injured right shoulder since reporting to the Connecticut Whale earlier this month, indicated he didn’t believe he was given a fair shot to make the Rangers out of training camp.

“I’d say it’s pretty obvious,” Avery said. “I’ll let everyone else decide for themselves.”

The 31-year-old played with AHL linemates all through training camp and was given limited opportunities in preseason games.

Coach John Tortorella said Avery was in a battle with center Erik Christensen for the 13th forward spot, and after the team waived Avery Oct. 4 while in Europe, left little doubt about how he regarded the notorious agitator.

“I don’t want to jam up Sean here; I think we have better players than Sean Avery, plain and simple,” Tortorella told reporters during the team’s preseason tour in Sweden.

The two spoke before Avery flew back to New York, and called it a “pretty quick conversation.”

“[Tortorella] told me it was his decision and that was pretty much it,” Avery said.

Asked if Tortorella’s comments about his departure upset him, Avery said: “I’ve always had a good sense of humor, haven’t I?”

Avery, who received a cortisone shot Tuesday, said he had options to play in Europe — lucrative offers in Russia, some less-enticing offers in Switzerland — but decided to play in Connecticut instead.

He’s not viewing it as a last-ditch effort to get back to the NHL, or ultimately, the Rangers. Avery carries a cap hit of $1.9 million and, if claimed on re-entry waivers, would leave the Rangers on the hook for close to $1 million.

“I’m not even going to think about it,” he said. “It’s like someone trying to win the lottery.”

While playing in Hartford, Avery still will make the $4 million he is owed in the last year of a four-year, $15.5 million deal that he signed with Dallas in 2008.

Dallas and New York, who claimed Avery on re-entry waivers from the Stars in March 2009, each will pay half of his salary, but his $1.9 million cap charge is off the books for both teams.

Avery said he won’t worry about his future with the team or NHL, or where he’d be willing to play if the team put him on re-entry waivers. He’ll try to have fun with his teammates in Hartford and enjoy playing hockey again.

“I’m probably one of the only guys in hockey who’s being paid a lot of money to play without pressure,” he said. “My only responsibility now is to work hard.”

The issue isn’t whether he can still play, though. That he knows he can do.

“I can still play in the NHL,” he said. “There’s no question about that.”

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Larry Brooks writes in the NY Post that Sean Avery will practice with the Whale on Wednesday.

He had a cortisone shot in his shoulder last Monday.

Brooks says that Avery hasn’t skated since the Rangers played in Gothenberg, Sweden.

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STOCKHOLM – The New York Rangers placed left wing Sean Avery on waivers at noon ET Tuesday, a team representative confirmed to NHL.com.

Avery, who is in the final season of a four-year contract, will remain on waivers for 24 hours, during which time another team can claim him. If he is not claimed, the Rangers can assign Avery to their American Hockey League team, the Connecticut Whale, and his $1,937,500 salary will come off their cap.

Avery’s agent, Pat Morris, told ESPN.com on Tuesday that playing in Europe this season is an option if the 31-year-old left wing clears waivers.

Rangers coach John Tortorella wants to have only one extra forward on the roster, and has been saying since Saturday that the battle for that spot was between Avery and Erik Christensen.

The roster crunch up front comes because the club is carrying eight defensemen — including Marc Staal, who remains in New York due to headaches that are a result of a concussion he suffered in February.

Tortorella said Monday that Staal likely wouldn’t go in injured reserve right away, but with Avery’s cap hit cleared the Rangers could go after another defenseman, either through a trade or free agency.

Signs were pointing to Christensen having the edge in his battle for the final forward spot. He played in all four preseason games in Europe while Avery saw time in just one. Avery did not play after Tortorella announced that he was in competition with Christensen for the final forward spot.
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The Rangers announced their roster for tomorrow night’s preseason opener in Albany against the Devils, and they are bringing more bona fide NHL players to the state capital than may have been expected.

Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot are the goalies selected from the trip, while the defensemen going are Brendan Bell, Michael Del Zotto, Steve Eminger, Tim Erixon, Dan Girardi and Dylan McIlrath. The forwards will be Artem Anisimov, Sean Avery, Ryan Bourque, Erik Christensen, Andre Deveaux, Brandon Dubinsky, Carl Hagelin, Shane McColgan, J.T. Miller, John Mitchell, Christian Thomas and Dale Weise.

Sean posted this AWESOME picture on his blog. I love it!