Avery returning to New York Rangers

NEW YORK, March 3 (UPI) -- Left wing Sean Avery, who was suspended for six games by the NHL and later cut by the Dallas Stars, has re-joined the New York Rangers, the team said Tuesday.

The Rangers claimed Avery off re-entry waivers. Avery had been playing with the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford, Conn., but is expected to join New York for its game Thursday.

It is his second stint with the Rangers. He joined the team via trade on Feb. 5, 2007, and had 23 goals, 30 assists and 154 penalty minutes in 86 games during two seasons. Dallas signed Avery over the summer but he appeared in only 23 games for the Stars.

He was suspended by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in December after he made insensitive comments about a former girlfriend and the NHL player who was dating her. He was reinstated in February after he attended anger-management classes but was waived by the Stars on Feb. 7. He joined Hartford on Feb. 10.

Avery has played 402 NHL games over seven seasons, having played with the Rangers, Stars, Los Angeles Kings and Detroit Red Wings. He has 68 goals, 109 assists and 1,144 penalty minutes over his career.