Bettman said at the All-Star Game media day that he had a nice chat with Scott on Thursday night.
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NCAA Hockey names All-Star teams at the end of each season, but it does not have an All Star game.
“He did a great job of presenting himself to the league, being able to play the game”.
Now, there is a new label for Scott, one that won’t fade: All-Star.
It was a big moment for a big man, and it nearly didn’t happen.
“He said, ‘Guys, if I would bring the Cup right now into the dressing room and somebody told you that you didn’t have to play any more games and you won it, would you take it?’ And I guarantee nobody would say yes, because it’s not about the Cup.it’s about the whole year, spending it with the guys”.
“Everyone has the National Hockey League team logo on their helmets and they threw the National Hockey League logo on mine”, Scott said. “It will be cool for him and his family to look back on it in future years and enjoy this weekend”. “I love living in Denver, but to travel somewhere, anywhere I could go, it would be here”.
“It’s awesome to see, considering the diversity of skills and talents and age we have on this team”, Ekblad said.
Not only did fans vote in an enforcer, the National Hockey League asked him not to play.
Scott said he was glad to hear that from Bettman because there was a time he really wasn’t sure the league felt that way.
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for Scott.
Then his team, the Arizona Coyotes, abruptly traded him to Montreal, which assigned him to its minor league affiliate St. John’s in Newfoundland.
Scott didn’t just make the roster: Fans flocked online and voted him captain of the Pacific Division, taking advantage of the NHL’s willingness to give them the ability to turn at least one position into a popularity contest. “Guys will definitely have fun with it and I think the fans will be excited for it. Just a little competition, too, with the game set-up”. “But with three-on-three, you can go a little harder and you know there won’t be a lot of hits and your percentage of getting hurt isn’t as high”.
Scott’s plain black all-star jersey reportedly sold out in Nashville on Friday. Instead, Jagr has missed only three games so far this season, having scored 15 goals and 33 points in 46 games for the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers.
“He’s the modern-day Gordie Howe, ” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said earlier this week, adding he hoped Jagr would autograph one of his sticks for him. “He’s a great guy”.
“I think it’s going to be interesting”, said Tampa centre Steven Stamkos. The NHL eventually came to its senses and said Scott could still take part. “I think European games you find, and I’ve done some Hockey Canada stuff with the World Championships or what have you – the game is one and done over there, you get one chance and here it’s nearly like a machine gun”. However, guys like Evgeni Malkin, Patrice Bergeron, Erik Karlsson, Patrick Kane, Johnny Gaudreau, Taylor Hall, Jamie Benn, and Tyler Seguin will be there.
If they dont want certain players here, they shouldnt let the fans vote, Benn said.
Perhaps the NHL’s argument is that his spot (in such a prestigious event) is better filled by a player with more skill or star power.
The All-Star skills competition Saturday will feature six events: fastest skater, breakaway challenge, accuracy shooting, skills challenge relay, hardest shot and the shootout.
“I wanted to stack the deck and put my eggs in as many baskets as I could and win those prizes”, Scott joked.
“My wife’s pregnant, she’s expecting now in a week, week and a half”, said Scott, whose wife is expecting twins.
“Do you think this is something your kids would be proud of?”. The All Star game is scheduled to be played Sunday, Jan. 31. He says someone from the league, who he did not identified, asked him if his children would be proud that he was playing in the All-Star game after being voted in by the fans.
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Scott said he was heartened by the support he has gotten from fellow players. “I’m obviously an anomaly”.
