John Scott soaking up every minute of National Hockey League all-star fame

The only person in the building who expends less energy than the players is the off-ice official charged with counting hits.

Roger Goodell and the head honchos at the National Football League should tune in for the NHL All-Star Game on Sunday.

Less than two weeks later, Scott was unexpectedly traded to the Montreal Canadiens and immediately got sent down to the minors, which sparked controversy that the National Hockey League may have been behind it an effort to make him ineligible for the All-Star Game. 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. I sat down with Gary and we had a little, quick chat. “There was a time when I was not really sure how he felt, but he kind of put those thoughts at rest”.

“I don’t want to embarrass anyone out there if I win at my age, ” Jagr cracked.

Backstrom is fully capable of putting on a show this weekend, as are his two teammates – and that’s yet another reason to want to tune in, whether it’s to see Kuznetsov wow everyone in a three-on-three tournament that seems nearly tailored specifically for him, or to watch Holtby take on the thankless task of facing down a barrage of shots from some of the best goal-scorers around. It was kind of odd. “I’m a novice when it comes to knowing what the game really is”. Last week the National Hockey League confirmed he would play in the game for the Pacific Division after all.

Back on January 2, it was announced that Scott, who had one point in 11 games along with 25 penalty minutes with the Coyotes, had been named one of the four captains for the All-Star Game.

Beyond the points and whatever he does on the ice, Jagr contributes to a young Panthers roster in countless other ways. It offers fans an opportunity to see players they don’t often get to see face off and showcase their elite talent.

“Now that I’m here, yeah, it’s nice”, Scott said.

It’s hard to know where this event needs to turn, although the league has decided this year to try out a three-on-three mini-tournament with a $1-million prize going to the winning team in the hopes this will motivate a higher level of competitiveness from the players.

“It was nice to hear that coming from him”. I’m an old school Broad Street Bully Dave Schultz loving mongrel assassin. “This was a great kick off to what I expect to be a lot of days of fun”.

“He had 200 goals on the night I was born, ” said 19-year-old Aaron Ekblad, one of four players or coaches representing the Panthers this weekend. Everyone assumed that he would rather be resting up for the second half of the season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Everyone wants to know what Jagr’s secret is, but if he knows it, he’s keeping it to himself for now.

If you need evidence, just check out this quote from Backstrom via the Associated Press’s Steve Whyno. He’s not going to be easy to get the puck off him. I didn’t have a chance, but that’s OK.

The explanation that followed, however, provided much more insight.

Back when he played with the Flyers, Jagr said, the Flyers were losing to Pittsburgh and then-coach Peter Laviolette addressed the players after the first period.

“I don’t think there’s any way to prepare”, Lightning goalie Ben Bishop said. He will have played in an NHL All-Star Game and his kids will have seen him do it. He said, “If I were to bring in the Cup right and and said you could have it right now without playing another game, would you do it?’ And I guarantee you everyone would say no. It’s not about the Cup, it’s about the suffering it takes to get it”. If all you know about John Scott is what you remember from that silly 2013 preseason brawl in Toronto when Phil Kessel tried to tomahawk chop his legs, there’s a lot more to him.

He’s here reluctantly, only to avoid a one-game suspension.

It was worth the time, because the answer he came up with might be the best way to describe Jaromir Jagr in 2016. “He understands players but can still instill discipline in a team”. But he practises every day.