Sean Avery says he's retiring from hockey

Sean Avery says he is done with hockey.

Avery, 31, said Monday night on an online, after-show segment of "Watch What Happens Live" on Bravo TV: "I am officially retired; I threw my skates in the Hudson."

The winger, who has played 11 seasons in the NHL, was assigned to the Connecticut Whale, the Rangers' AHL affiliate, for the second time this season on Dec. 30. He was not placed on the Whale's clear-day roster on March 6, making him ineligible for the playoffs and was told that he no longer needed to report for games or practices. His contract expires April 15, and he is expected to work in the advertising industry, according to the New York Post. Avery did not immediately return a call from Newsday, and the NHL said they had not received retirement papers.

Avery, who has worked as a fashion model, interned at Vogue magazine and is part-owner of Warren 77 and Tiny's, two Soho dining and drinking establishments, played 86 games with the Rangers in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, with 23 goals, 30 assists and 212 penalty minutes. He then signed a four-year, $15.5-million contract with Dallas, was suspended, and returned to the Rangers for the final 18 games of the 2008-09 season, the next two seasons, and dressed for 15 games this year before being relegated to fourth-line duty or the bench.

In his second stint in New York, Avery played 178 games, scored 22 goals, had 48 assists and compiled 389 penalty minutes.