Avery, Brodeur Need Relationship Therapy

Earlier this season and in a moment of extreme irony, Sean Avery called Devils goalie Marty Brodeur "Marty the Diver" after Brodeur was hit with a diving penalty in a game against the Rangers. Avery also used the occasion to analyze his relationship with Brodeur: "We're not friends. It's not an (expletive) secret." As the Rangers and Devils prepare for their first-round series that kicks off in Newark tomorrow night, Avery detailed his feelings regarding Brodeur in a typically candid interview with the New York Post:

"I approach different players in different ways," said Avery, an impending free agent. "Some guys I go after verbally, others I don't bother with. ... There are some guys I like as people and don't bother with, and there are a lot I don't. Marty? I don't think it's a secret that I'm not a very big fan of his. ... It's just one of those relationships that's not very pleasant. It's kind of like a bad first date. It started from the first game, and has gone from there."

While we all try and theorize what would make a "bad first date" in Sean Avery's world, let's celebrate the obvious: The nastier and more personal things get between the Devils and the Rangers, the more entertaining their first-round battle becomes. For two teams as offensively challenged as they are, a little crimson ice will go a long way. Just don't expect Avery and Brodeur to grab a brew when it's all over; as tabloid-fodder-on-skates told the Post: