Controversial ex-hockey enforcer Sean Avery writes steamy romance novel with best-selling author

Former NHL player Sean Avery has co-written a romance novel, rather fittingly, about a hockey player who co-writes a romance novel.

The controversial Avery was known as an enforcer and general pest during his on-ice career, but has always made more headlines away from the game with stints as a model, actor, restaurateur and even an intern at Vogue.

He even penned an autobiography in 2017, which led his agent to recently suggest a foray into 'sports romance.'

The resulting work, Summer Skate, was co-written by Avery and romance novelist Leslie Cohen, with whom the Ontario native is already writing a follow-up work.

'I'm a bit of a showman,' Avery told People.com. 'It's in my blood. I feel it. It's what makes me want to get up out of bed every day, you know, to chase it. So, it's been an interesting journey here, but I think I've found my sweet spot, and I'm starting to really settle into it and have fun.'

The newly released novel described on Amazon.com as 'sexy and addictive' tells the tale of a 'novelist with a rebellious streak and a habit of turning men into material' falling for a 'hockey player with a dark past.'

Like the story's female lead, Cohen is married mother, but that didn't stop her and Avery, a married father, from engaging in deeply sexual discussions while collaborating on the text.

'I mean, there were times where you would waffle the actual acoustics of us talking, because it's like, oh my god, we were saying these things,' Avery recalls. 'Me and Leslie, we were always laughing about it in the end, but we had intense conversations.'

Avery said he learned a lot about the difference between 'what do I think women want versus what [Cohen] thinks women want, and vice versa.'

'It was nice to have somebody be able to say, yeah, that might be a little too much, or I don't know, I'm not sure if everybody likes that sort of thing,' Avery says.

'So we had battles,' he continued. 'But again, like great teams, you know, people don't see the battles that go on inside dressing rooms. But to get something to be great and a bond to be strong, you have to have friction and tension. That's where the juice comes from, so I really enjoyed the process.'

Avery does make it clear that his male lead, Carter Hughes, is not entirely based on himself.

'I didn't go to American University, and Carter did. He's much taller than me, you know, he's not a small player. He's a high draft pick. I wasn't a high draft pick,' Avery said.

Avery played a decade in the NHL as a feisty forward, speedy skater and solid defensive presence. Never known for his offense, Avery twice led the league in penalty minutes.

His biggest impact on the NHL may be what's colloquially known as the 'Sean Avery Rule,' which penalizes offensive players for distracting opposing goaltenders by intentionally trying to block their field of vision.

Avery famously did exactly that to legendary New Jersey netminder Martin Brodeur during a 2008 playoff series between the Rangers and Devils.