What is the Sean Avery rule? How the ex-NHL star's antics forced the league to amend the rulebook

By Sukanya Banerjee

Modified Aug 25, 2023 22:06 GMT

Sean Avery, the former NHL left-winger, has a reputation on the ice for his behavior and prowess in the game. What's more, no other player except for the hockey star himself has ever had the potential of introducing a rule by their name in the NHL.

Most NHL fans and enthusiasts know the Sean Avery rule by now. However, many fans still don't know about this rule on the ice or how it came into existence. Let’s shed some light on how this rule became a major rule in the NHL.

The 43-year-old ex-left-winger has had an amazing hockey career with several renowned teams, including the New York Rangers. The former Rangers star did something to the New Jersey Devils’ popular goalie Martin Brodeur, which no hockey athlete could even imagine.

He positioned himself in front of Brodeur during a five-on-three power play in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoff on April 13, 2008, and blocked the star goalie’s vision by imitating him, waving his arms and moving his stick in front of him.

Brodeur had to deal with the Devils winger's obstructive behavior for an entire minute. He even risked getting penalized for his reaction as he shielded himself from his antics with his glove. He kept trying until the puck reached the other end of the ice, when he quickly switched from defense to offense, retrieving the puck, rejoining the action, and finally beating Brodeur with a goal.

Although the left-winger's conduct did not break any law, NHL players and analysts roundly criticized the player and the Rangers for being unsportsmanlike. A new rule known as "The Sean Avery Rule" was swiftly implemented in the NHL. The rule forbade a player to stand directly in front of a goalkeeper and take any other steps that might restrict their field of view. Avoiding this rule would result in a two-minute penalty.

Is Sean Avery present in Christopher Nolan’s latest hit, Oppenheimer?

After Sean Avery retired from the ice in 2012, he joined the creative industry. With that being said, NHL fans are curious to know whether he has been cast in Christopher Nolan’s recent hit, Oppenheimer.

To answer the query of the Avery fans, yes, he is very much a part of the movie. He plays the role of "Weatherman," making this his second straight appearance in a Christopher Nolan movie. He previously played the role of the lead soldier on the Red Squad in Christopher Nolan's movie "Tenet."