No matter what happens throughout the rest of his career, John Scott will forever be known as an NHL All-Star Game MVP. He seemed a bit stunned as he soaked everything in, from teammates lifting him on their shoulders while fans chanted “MVP!” before Scott was announced as the victor and presented with a Honda Pilot Touring SUV. Scott then recorded two shots on goal in a 1-0 triumph over the Atlantic Division in the final, helping the Pacific Division capture the US$1-million winner-take-all prize.
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To put it floridly, the Internet ached with the desire for John Scott to be named MVP of the NHL’s All-Star Game Sunday night. A clearly orchestrated trade between the Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens sent Scott, his pregnant wife Danielle and two daughters from NHL Glendale to AHL Newfoundland.
Scott was the centerpiece of much controversy over the past few weeks after the National Hockey League tried to persuade him not to play in the game so that another player, or better player, could have the privilege of playing in the coveted game.
Scott’s selection to the All-Star Game had the league miffed, but it had fans entertained. The NHL ignoring him (again) as an MVP candidate, only to be overruled by fans?
There were the two goals for the Pacific Division – which he captained to winning the new All-Star three-on-three tournament. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask said he was entertained while watching Sunday’s 3-on-3 tournament in Nashville, and Claude Julien said the mix of John Scott’s involvement and the new wrinkles really made it a giant success for the National Hockey League, the players and for NBCSN with the broadcasting rights for it all.
“I had no idea”, Malcolm Subban said.
“‘I loved it, probably the coolest thing I’ve done in hockey”.
He scored his second goal 3:27 into the final period on a breakaway, scoring top corner on Devan Dubnyk.
Florida forward Jaromir Jagr, captain of the Atlantic Division, skated in his 10th All-Star Game and helped the Atlantic beat the Metropolitan 4-3.
Scott, a 6-foot-8 (2.03m) and 270 pound (120kg) man-mountain who typically keeps foes from manhandling skilled teammates, has been defying the odds since youth coaches told him he was too big and slow to succeed.
Although my knowledge of curling and Gaelic football is not quite up to snuff, I’m pretty sure ice hockey is the civilized world’s only sport where you will find an athlete identified as a “journeyman enforcer”.
Was it a good to be John Scott on Sunday? “But if you give (Scott) the puck, he’s going to put it in the net”. “I’m like ‘Oh my god, I better stop.’ It was a little overwhelming”.
But there will be many All-Star Games in the future for Saad, who’s the Blue Jackets’ goal-scoring leader and on pace for 30-plus goals for the first time.
Scott added his second goal at 13:27 of the period on a wrister, giving the Pacific Division a 5-3 lead and fans yet another reason to applaud him.
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The AHL demotion effectively ended Scott’s All-Star participation before the league took a U-turn. They like gritty players who have a side of humble when they are off the ice.
