Wow, the Fanzak hockey fans have finally woken up.  Thank you for all the comments, positive and negative.  A few things: personally I feel my last column about whether or not Toronto could and would be willing to support a second hockey team was more interesting than my Avery column, yet it did not stir up too much conversation. But for some reason my comments on Avery, how his team reacted to him, and even me spelling Jarome Iginla’s first name “Jerome” (blame my spell checker for that one) really got people going.  This further proves my point that when Avery does something crazy people pay attention.  So thanks again guys and girls! 

To the angry Canadian:  I’ve never seen such an angry Canadian.  I was up in the great city of Toronto on November  1^st  when the Rangers lead the Leafs 2-0 with about seven minutes left.  Like the other Ranger fans in the building I was starting to get loud, be a little obnoxious and celebrate pre-maturely.  The Leafs then scored five goals in under six minutes and went on to win 5-2. I was stunned and fully expected to get it really bad from the Leafs fans after that, but I received a sympathetic pat on the back from the guy next to me and heard nothing but “sorry man that’s rough” all the way out of the arena and throughout my subway ride up to Bloor Street.  I have always thought Canadians were the nicest most respectful people in the world. From my experiences most are happy to share their game with all the newer markets in the US.  Any time I have attended a game in Florida, Washington DC and other smaller US markets I always run into folks from Canada vacationing in our great country and they are happy to be able to see an NHL hockey game in those cities. So you don’t want to share hockey with any US cities besides the originals?  You want the NHL to be the six Canadian teams (well I will assume want Phoenix and Colorado put back in Winnipeg and Quebec City) so 8 Canadian teams plus the four original US teams?  So your NHL looks like this: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Boston?  That would make you happy? Come on!!! Oh and the WWF is the World Wildlife Federation, I think you meant WWE, and for the record in 2006 I attended a WWE event at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.  Canadians love it just as much as Americans my friend!

One other response to the comments before I move on: ok sorry, referring to the Dallas Stars organization as a bunch of punks for not sticking up for Avery may have been a bit much.  But I will say this; the whole Avery incident was going on at the same time as the Plaxico Burress fiasco.  Now while the Giants did immediately suspend him and denounce his actions, individual statements from players and coaches were empathetic, supportive, and came with the realization that a teammate of theirs was involved in an unfortunate situation (brought upon by himself like Avery, but none the less unfortunate).  The Stars just sounded very harsh and cold in their reactions and that is what I was trying to draw attention too.  I just have never seen that before, professional athletes always seem to support their teammates through all kinds of trouble, and we all know we’ve seen athletes do much worse than Avery did.

I have to say that going to the Rangers/Flames game earlier tonight was extremely refreshing despite seeing the Rangers play horribly again.  With about two and a half minutes left in the second period when Calgary scored their first goal Dion Phaneuf had an assist.  At the announcement of his name 18,200 Ranger fans broke out in a “Sloppy Seconds” chant that according to my friend watching at home was audible on TV.  Now based on the comments and all the Avery bashing I have heard since the incident I really thought I was losing my mind and somehow missing something by thinking this incident was funny and that people were overreacting.  So I would like to thank my fellow Ranger fans for giving me a breath of fresh air.  Truly the greatest fans in the world!!

So Avery was given six games retroactive to the two games he missed while waiting for the decision, and was also ordered to an anger management evaluation and any subsequent professional counseling that may be recommended by the evaluation.  OK, well the hockey world has spoken most people disagree with my views and are glad to see him suspended.  All I hope is that the next time a player takes a head shot at somebody that they get at least ten games.  Up to this point the longest suspension given this season was five games, Avery got six and I still don’t buy that his actions were really that big of a deal.

The one interesting thing left to see before this drama subsides is how Sean Avery will be received by his team (if at all) when his suspension is over in about a week and a half.  If you go by Brett Hull’s comments it appears as though he will be back in the lineup and the Stars will plug on with Sean Avery.  If you listen to everybody else in the organization, including their broadcasters and most fans then it appears that Avery has played his last game in Dallas.  So I look forward to seeing how all of that plays out and where Avery will end up if he is bought out or put on the trade block by Dallas.

Well we will put this one behind us now.  There is plenty of hockey left this season to talk about.  Can San Jose and Boston keep up the amazing seasons they have put together so far?  What the heck happened to the Buffalo Sabres? They were one the best team through ten games and have just been awful ever since. Where will Marian Gaborik end up if he ever comes off of IR. Where will Brendan Shanahan and Mats Sundin end up if anywhere?  There are plenty of other things to debate! Until next time hockey fans!  For anybody reading this that has not yet read part one, check out the archives.  I know I didn''t leave the first article up too long but wanted to respond while it was still relevant. Again, thanks for the comments everyone!