By Craig Custance

updated 11:04 p.m. ET Dec. 19, 2008

Editor's note: Late this summer, hockey writer Craig Custance had the opportunity to spend a considerable amount of time in Dallas with Sean Avery while working on a story that ran in Sporting News magazine as part of its NHL preview. It was a chance to see what made Avery tick, to observe him in all environments — from hanging out with new teammates to visiting a hospital on a promotional tour of the city. Until now, most of the interview has never been published.

These conversations, which took place before the suspension and now-infamous comments in Calgary, provide some sense of what might be going on inside Sean Avery's head.

SN: Have you gotten used to seeing your name as often on the gossip pages as the sports pages?

Avery: I think it kind of started a little bit when I was in L.A. Once I got to New York, it really took off. It was weird, it was like, you'd constantly be reading (stuff) in Page Six. Half of it is true, half of it is not. I think that is just partly because of my personality, I think the whole New York scene took to it. They were somewhat intrigued by what I was doing. It was no secret that I like to burn the candle at both ends. I go out a lot; it's kind of my gig. I play hard on and off the ice. That's just part of it. I laugh it off. It seems like a lot of celebrities get really rattled about reading (stuff) about them, whether it's true or not. It just doesn't bother me. Usually, I don't read about it. Usually I hear about it from other people. I don't know if they have a Page Six in Dallas, maybe that'll be my next project. I'm the inside guy, start selling everyone out.

SN: Because of that, you have to deal with more rumors and speculation than the typical athlete, like speculation this summer that you're gay.

Avery: Yeah, I think that happens to certain athletes that if they're not married once they start getting toward their 30s, everyone assumes you're gay. Throw in the fact that I worked for Vogue and the fashion stuff would lead people to think I am, but I'm sure if you asked any of my ex-girlfriends, they would testify that was not the case. I'd hope so at least, unless they're pissed off at me or something.

SN: Most hockey players hang out with teammates outside of the rink, but you kind of go your own way, often hanging out with celebrities. Are they more interesting than hockey players?

Avery: I like hanging out with people who inspire me. It seems like artistic people are the ones who inspire. I love hanging out with the guys on the team, there's no question about that. We have the best time with the teammates. It's also nice to spend a little bit of time with other people.

I'm like a sponge right now. I want to soak up as much knowledge about things as I can right now and learn about as much stuff as I can right now. I'm not going to play forever and I have too much energy to sit on my (butt). I don't like golf. So I have to find something to do quick.

SN: You had that spleen injury in the playoffs (a lacerated spleen in a second-round game against Pittsburgh last spring). Did a serious injury like that change your perspective on things?

Avery: You know what? It's funny you'd say that. I try not to think about it, but it definitely opened my eyes to how quick ... how everything could go away.

Whether it's just life in general or not being able to play any more. Certainly, I don't think it approached as far as how I live or anything like that. It kind of opens your eyes up and makes you realize that we certainly have, as athletes, a pretty awesome job and shouldn't take it for granted. Definitely.

SN: Did you get a lot of support from teammates during that time in the hospital?

Avery: People were pretty cool. There was some (bad stuff). The worst thing about the whole thing, a couple papers wrote I underwent cardiac arrest, that they wheeled me into the hospital. People wake up in the morning and everyone is calling. I was out of it. I didn't talk to anyone for about a week. That was tough on my parents, reading that. Waking up and seeing I went into cardiac arrest. That wasn't cool. Everyone I played with in the past, or certainly my teammates, everyone was definitely somewhat concerned.

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