Sean Avery signs in ECHL and another former enforcer pledges a comeback just so he can fight Avery one last time

In case you missed the news earlier this week, former NHL enforcer, pest, annoyance, rat... whatever you want to call him... Sean Avery officially signed a contract with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears as part of his effort to make an NHL comeback. 

The 41 year old Avery hasn't played a professional hockey game since he retired back in 2012, but he's evidently serious about getting back out there and making a name for himself once again.

From the Solar Bears' official website:

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears have announced that forward Sean Avery has been signed to an ECHL Standard Player Contract. Avery will begin his tenure with the Solar Bears on the team’s reserve list.

Avery, 41, joins Orlando after last playing professional hockey during the 2011-12 season with the NHL’s New York Rangers and the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League.

- Orlando Solar Bears

Personally, I'll be interested to see if Avery even gets any ECHL ice time. I understand that the ECHL is a bit of a punchline with some hockey fans when compared to the NHL or even the AHL. But, the reality of things is that the ECHL is no joke. It's a professional hockey league... not some beer league nonsense. We all know plenty of really good hockey players who wouldn't even sniff the ECHL on their best days, so what makes a 41 year old Sean Avery think he can just jump off the couch and play in a pro hockey game? It's just the kind of hubris I'd expect from Avery though.

Oh... and speaking of hubris, another former NHL pest has pledged to make a comeback and sign in the ECHL just so he can presumably take another run at Avery.

Who else but Matthew Barnaby?

Honestly... I'd love to see it.

Let's get both of these clowns out there at 41 years old and 48 years old respectively and watch them make absolute fools out of themselves. The irony, of course, is that I didn't think Avery and Barnaby could make even bigger fools of themselves, but here we are.

Put up or shut up, boys.