It’s been a whirlwind weekend for John Scott. He scored two big goals, laid out a big hit against Patrick Kane, and owned Jeremy Roenick on national television. He cracked jokes, took selfies, and brought fans to their feet.
And along the way, he saved the NHL’s All-Star Game from itself.
Voted in by fans, the 6’8″ enforcer became the unlikely Pacific Division captain. Though the campaign to send Scott to the game may not have begun with the purest of intentions, he was nothing but a class act the entire time. Even being exiled to Newfoundland couldn’t wipe the smile off of Scott’s face.
This weekend in Nashville, John Scott shone brighter then all the other stars gathered there. Despite the league’s best efforts, Scott made the All-Star Game fun again.
Whether it was laughing at Patrick Kane as boos rained down, or gracefully accepting a standing ovation before his hardest shot attempt, John Scott enjoyed himself.
And the fans did as well.
Let’s be honest, the All-Star Game has traditionally been a fairly boring event. This was a game that star players chose to miss, despite knowing that they would be suspended. The NHL even had to add a cash incentive to this game, to get players to pretend that they cared about taking part in it.
Yet, Scott’s involvement made fans tune in to watch the game. His involvement made players eager to help him win. John Scott became the sole reason to watch the game, and, with his family in attendance, he put on a show.
Contrary to what the NHL may believe, fans like connecting to players who are willing to show off a bit of their personality. This was a player whose whole life was changed because of a fan vote, and through it all, he never once complained. He earned the respect of his peers and fans across the league.
On Sunday night, Scott’s story came to a remarkable close. He was a player who wasn’t supposed to be there, who didn’t really seem to belong there, but at the end of day, he was there, and he made the most of it. He led his squad to victory and won MVP honours in the process. On that day, he was truly the most valuable player out there.
In the end, John Scott was the unlikely hero of the 2016 All-Star Game, but in some ways he was exactly the hero this game needed.
He represented the league well in its annual showcase event. And he was certainly someone his kids would be proud of.
