Pierre McGuire's In the Crease

Pierre McGuire

December 15, 2008

Stars agitator Sean Avery (right), who was banned for six games by the league last week for making lewd comments about his former girlfriends, should ask his agent, Patrick Morris, to make a deal whereby Dallas lets him go to Russia and play in the KHL. It would show that Avery is serious about hockey, lessen the burden that his four-year, $15.5 million contract has on Dallas's payroll and get Avery out of the storm he has created.... After scoring a career-high 29 goals last year, Flyers center Jeff Carter had a league-best 19 through Sunday and, at 6'3", 200 pounds, was dominating defensemen to get to scoring areas he couldn't reach in previous years. Philly G.M. Paul Holmgren believes that's due to the 23-year-old's skyrocketing confidence.