Dec 3, 2008 - 1:59 AM
0 shoutsNEW YORK (Ticker) -- Thinking before speaking obviously is not one of Sean Avery's strong points.
The Dallas Stars' left wing on Tuesday was suspended indefinitely by the NHL pending a hearing with commissioner Gary Bettman for conduct "detrimental to the league or game of hockey."
Perhaps the most hated man in hockey, Avery was suspended for making disparaging comments about ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert. The Canadian-born actress best known for her role on the hit Fox show "24" currently is dating Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf.
Avery, whose team posted a 3-1 victory over the Flames on Tuesday night, made the comments earlier in the day.
"I'm really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada," Avery said. "I just want to comment on how it's become a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about, but enjoy the game."
The date for Avery's hearing has yet to be scheduled.
Stars owner Tom Hicks was in agreement with the league's action against the outspoken player.
"I completely support the league's decision to suspend Sean Avery," Hicks said. "Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have.
"This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so."
Dallas coach Dave Tippett and center Toby Petersen were in agreement with the team's owner.
"The words and disrespect for an opponent like that are something that... I mean, there is lots of trash-talking that goes on on the ice and stuff, but this is..." Tippett said. "To announce something like that for everyone to hear, to me that crosses the line. ... Obviously, the league - and the team - felt that, too."
"We all heard and wondered why when we got to the rink, why Sean's not in the locker room," Petersen said. "But we stand behind the decision the NHL made today. It's something they're going to deal with and something the team's going to deal with in the coming days."
Flames center Craig Conroy, who played with Avery in Los Angeles from 2005-07, had no sympathy whatsoever for his former teammate.
"He made stupid comments and it bit him," Conroy said. "I think he probably thought it was funny, and the league didn't think it was funny, the Dallas Stars didn't think it was funny, nobody thought it was funny.
"That's where Aves was just trying to be smart. He thought he was going to do something funny and it backfired. Now he's suspended. You've got to keep your mouth shut."
Avery, who signed a four-year, $15 million deal with Dallas this past summer, has recorded three goals and seven assists in 23 games this season.
