Great Scott: Fan favorite voted NHL All-Star MVP

The Pacific Division beat the Atlantic Division…

Normally, I hate all-star games, and if you saw any of the Pro Bowl you’ll know why.

Then he scored two goals. You can’t put into words. “It’s been unbelievable. You can’t write this stuff”.

The NHL also named its three stars for January, with Washington centre Evgeny Kuznetsov, Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford and Pittsburgh defenceman Kris Letang earning the honours.

Fast forward three years and John Scott was voted into the NHL All-Star game as a result of the fan-voting that the NHL implemented over the last two All-Star games.

Scott chronicled his journey in a story he penned on The Players’ Tribune website, shedding light on how the National Hockey League didn’t want him playing in this new 3-on-3 format.

Doughty and his teammates quickly left for a flight to Los Angeles for practice Monday and a game at Arizona on Tuesday, but Scott isn’t sure what’s next for him besides the imminent birth of twins to him and his wife, Danielle.

Scott then posed with his teammates behind their $1 million check.

Scott only got nervous when Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, a former teammate and friend, caught him off guard and helped hoist the reluctant fighter into the air. “(Kane) came right after me after he scored”, Scott said. “Yeah, nerve-wracking, especially [because] Burnzie is such a spaz. It just kind of gives you goosebumps when you think about it”.

Once Scott was voted into the NHL All-Star game however, that all changed. This time, the All-Stars combined for 116 shots and 23 goals.

With his two goals during the league’s first ever 3-on-3 tournament on Sunday and all-around great performance throughout the All-Star weekend, Scott was voted by fans as the MVP of the game after his Pacific Division picked up a 1-0 win in the tournament’s championship game over the Atlantic Division. With the suspension they are saying the Hawks’ captain, the guy who might be the most respected player in the league, wasn’t actually sick over the weekend. Their inspiration was the 3-on-3 overtime approach for a tournament pitting the four divisions against each other in 20-minute games.

He hoped his unlikely all-star experience might open a few doors, and it appears it has. It showed that while he may be an enforcer, heisn’t a goon without skills. When Scott, who made it clear he was considering dropping out of the All-Star game for a time, apparently did not do so quickly enough, his team traded him to a team (the Canadiens) that immediately sent him to the minors. He will return to the AHL to Newfoundland in Canada with lots of prizes after fans chose Scott over the finalists offered by the league’s hockey operations – Luongo, Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau or Edmonton forward Taylor Hall. One of the game’s most heartwarming moments came when Pacific coach Darryl Sutter’s son, Christopher, who has Down Syndrome, was one of the first to celebrate with the MVP. The move – as some speculated as one to keep him out of the game – could have made him ineligible to play. The 2016 edition had everything – competitiveness, exciting pace and even a goaltending duel – as the Pacific Division sealed a 1-0 victory over the Atlantic Division in the championship game.