In the Post today, Larry Brooks makes a plea to Rangers GM Glen Sather not to play hardball with winger Sean Avery and instead sign him to a fair extension, as he appears on the verge of doing with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist ($36 million, six-years, according to Brooks).

Avery is understandably frustrated with the walk year he is having after envisioning himself as the linchpin on a Championship-caliber team. Instead, Avery has struggled on the score sheet, been reprimanded and reigned-in by league disciplinarian Colin Campbell, and has found himself on injured reserve three times. He is playing now despite a wrist that will require surgery in the offseason - the second such surgery he will have undergone this year.

In fact, according to Brooks, Sather approached Avery last week about discussing an extension, only to be rebuffed by the player, who reportedly told Sather that “he didn’t think anyone would want to sign him.”

The Rangers need Avery’s head in the right place down the stretch, says Brooks, and I tend to agree with him. My only caveat is that there’s no reason to throw money at a guy who quite possibly could see limited interest from other clubs in the offseason. In recent weeks, Avery’s game seems to have slipped in multiple facets, most glaringly last week when he failed to cover the point for a pinching Paul Mara on a goal against.

That said, if Avery is willing to sign a one-year extension, I’d jump on it.