page_title: Sean Avery
section_title: The Avery Rule
hierarchical_section_title: Sean Avery / Controversies / The Avery Rule
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo by Troy Parla, Sean Avery, Martin Brodeur, 2008 Playoffs, Rangers vs. Devils, Sean Avery decides to face Brodeur while screening him, which leads to a rule change by the NHL. April 13, 2008. At Madison Square Garden.
context_page_description: Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career in the National Hockey League, he played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers, gaining recognition for his agitating playing style and controversial behaviour both on and off the ice. He finished his 12-year career with a total of 90 goals, 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 games. He led the league in penalty minutes twice, during the 2003–04 and 2005–06 NHL seasons. He is also known for his eclectic interests, having worked in fashion, most notably as an intern at Vogue magazine; as a model; and as a restaurateur.
  After retiring in 2012, Avery began working at Lipman, an advertising and creative agency in New York City. He was promoted to senior staffer, but the firm closed without notice in September 2013, reportedly due to financial problems, later filing for bankruptcy, and owing Avery $229,167.
  Avery's memoir, Ice Capades: A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey, was published by Blue Rider Press in 2017.
context_section_description: During Game 3 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals against the New Jersey Devils, Avery turned his back on the play in order to face and screen Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur during a two-man advantage on the power play. He waved his hands and stick in front of Brodeur in an attempt to distract him and block his view. The puck was later cleared out of the Devils' zone but on the second Rangers offensive attack, Avery scored a power play goal.
  Although screening is a commonly used tactic (especially on the power play), notable in this instance was that Avery had spent the initial part of the play facing Brodeur while ignoring the puck, with his back to the play (normally, the player screening the goaltender is facing the play). The following day, the NHL issued an interpretation of the league's unsportsmanlike conduct rule to cover actions such as the one employed by Avery, which would now result in a minor penalty. This became known colloquially as "The Avery Rule".
  Avery's tactics during that series against the Devils earned multiple power plays, and he scored in each of the first three games. His controversial yet effective antics helped lead the Rangers to a 4–1 series win. At the end of the series, Brodeur refused to shake Avery's hand. In an interview after game 5 when asked about the handshake line, Avery replied, "Fatso forgot to shake my hand".
caption: Avery "screening" Brodeur
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