Rangers Avery Out For Season; Team Denies Report He Suffered Cardiac Arrest

New York (AHN) -- The New York Rangers are denying a newspaper report that 28-year-old winger Sean Avery was rushed to a Manhattan hospital Wednesday morning in cardiac arrest, just hours after his team lost in the NHL playoffs to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The New York Daily News reported that Avery arrived at St. Vincent's Medical Center around 3 a.m. and was unconscious and was not breathing.

The Daily News quoted a hospital source as saying Avery was still in intensive care Wednesday afternoon. No further information was available.

The Rangers, however, issued a statement saying Avery was admitted to the hospital following a CT scan for a lacarated spleen from the game and will be out for the rest of the season, but is expected to make a full recovery.

The team denied the Daily News report. The Rangers said Avery walked into the medical facility with team doctor Andrew Feldman, and the two took a car to the hospital, not an emergency vehicle.

Avery had an assist in Tuesday night's 5-3 loss to the Penguins in which the Rangers fell behind 3-0 in the best-of-seven series with Pittsburgh.

Avery was traded to the Rangers last year from Los Angeles. The six-year NHL veteran has a $1.9 million contract. He scored 15 goals and had 18 assists this season.

He lives in Manhattan and is known for dating celebrities such as Rachel Hunter and Elisha Cuthbert.

The Daily News also revealed that his name and private cell phone numer showed up in client data base for a Manhattan prostitution ring in March and he was listed as a $500 client of brothel Maison de L'Amour, which he adamantly denied.