After a crazy week which saw John Scott traded to the Habs, and subsequently sent to the St. John’s IceCaps of the AHL, the NHL has announced that he will be at the All-Star Game, as captain of the Pacific Division.
NEW YORK – John Scott will captain the Pacific Division team at the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend in Nashville, the National Hockey League announced today.
Scott, elected to the Pacific Division captaincy in fan voting while a member of the Arizona Coyotes, was traded Friday to the Montreal Canadiens of the Atlantic Division. The resultant change in division, and Scott’s subsequent assignment to the American Hockey League, created a unique circumstance that required review – the result of which was a determination to maintain the status quo for the All-Star weekend in order to preserve all parties’ pre-existing expectations, including Scott’s desire to participate.
“I am looking forward to enjoying a fun and unique experience at All-Star Weekend in Nashville with my family,” said Scott. “While being voted to the All-Star Game by the fans was not something I expected to happen, I am excited to participate in the All-Star events with my fellow players.”
It’s a happy conclusion to what could have been a PR nightmare for the league. You can argue whether or not Scott deserves to be there, but honouring the fan vote is clearly the right approach.
