Sean Avery coming out of retirement to join ECHL club

More than a decade after his last appearance on NHL ice, Sean Avery is returning to professional hockey with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears.

Avery, 41, signed a standard players contract with the minor-league outfit and Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate Wednesday. The Solar Bears say he will start on the team's reserve list.

Known mostly for his on-ice antics and raw soundbites, Avery spent 10 seasons in the NHL split between the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings and Detroit Red Wings. He scored 90 goals and totalled 247 points in 580 games and also amassed over 1,500 penalty minutes.

Among the many infamous moments, Avery might be most remembered for his strange tactics in the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs when he screened legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur with his back turned to the play. The two engaged in a legendary war or words and the NHL later changed its rules to prevent players from distracting opposing netminders in the fashion Avery did.

It's unclear why Avery is attempting to make a comeback in hockey. He moved on to modelling and acting after his hockey career ended in 2011, and recently appeared in Christopher Nolan's Tenet. He's also an alumni of Dancing with the Stars.

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