National Hockey League player John Scott campaigns into All-Star Game, wins MVP

In danger of becoming a non-competitive snoozefest like the NFL’s Pro Bowl, the NHL All-Star Game needed a jolt of life.

John Scott scored two goals in the Pacific Division’s first game against the Central Division and eventually went on to be voted as the MVP of the entire All-Star Game after the Pacific Division won the tournament. “You guys have blown me away”, Scott said to the fans.

“This has been a whirlwind”.

While Patrice Bergeron wasn’t present at Monday’s Bruins practice to chat about his NHL All-Star weekend experience, it was still one of the topics of the day after the B’s players skated following five days off for All-Star break. He was reassigned there by the Montreal Canadiens after they acquired him from the Arizona Coyotes on January 15. The $100,000 prize? The new Honda Pilot SUV?

Earlier, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had said the fans spoke, so Scott is welcome at the 2016 All-Star Game. The 23-year-old was looking forward to a number of things, but near the top of his list was having the chance to meet his boyhood idol, Jaromir Jagr. With time ticking down on the clock, the arena erupted into chanting for captain John Scott, “MVP, MVP, MVP!” By definition, the NHL All-Star Game is supposed to be a celebration of all that is good about the game.

“The John Scott ride has been nothing short of a roller coaster to an incredible ending”, Scott’s agent, Ben Hankinson of Hockey Octagon said. “It was just really, really emotional and it was a really cool moment”. Scott found himself hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates when he was announced as the MVP and he got a little nervous when they picked him up.

What do you think? I’m going to call it third because 2 different markets tied for the same ratings.

After scoring two goals and leading his Pacific Division squad to All Star tournament victory, everyman enforcer John Scott was named tournament MVP.

With 6:22 left, Anaheim’s Corey Perry beat Bishop and, surprisingly based on the wide-open nature of the 3-on-3 session, that was it.

“MVP! MVP! MVP!” echoed through the Nashville stadium as the Pacific team toppled the Atlantic team in a closely fought All-Star Championship game.

“I’ve heard the rumblings, I’ve seen the article they’re casting people”, Scott told NBC Sports Network on Tuesday. It was a great story. Everyone thought it would be bad for hockey, and it turned out to be one of the best stories in hockey. Whether John Scott is a figure that people love, or hate, the All-Star weekend was clearly one that he enjoyed, and one that his peers, both players and coaches, felt he deserved.

“Everything he got at the end, he deserved”, P.K. Subban said.

“I don’t know if he was expecting me to drop them with him”, Kane said, adding that the fight was not planned. “I was kind of chatting with the guys and see my family in the crowd”.

Then he scored two goals.

There’s another lesson here for the National Hockey League too, and that’s to embrace the individuality of its players, no matter how outside the lines they’re painting. I think if anything, it fits well – because in years past the complaint was that there was no hitting and no physicality.