Bettman says enforcer John Scott ‘welcome’ at All-Star Game

Chicago also has a forward skipping the All-Star Game this weekend, as captain Jonathan Toews has bowed out of the event in Nashville. “I’m still kind of a fan at heart when I meet these guys”. They have a skills competition on Saturday that allows fans to see players participate in competitions based on speed, shot power, and accuracy.

Scott, 33, was once considered a controversial selection.

Yet somehow this weekend will be Backstrom’s first All-Star appearance.

“It’s nice to be a fan favourite”, said Scott.

Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr, of the Czech Republic, talks with reporters at the NHL hockey All-Star game media day Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Now he’s captaining a division he doesn’t play for, in a league he’s not playing in. Sports podcast, then escalated through Reddit.

Scott’s All-Star contention was thrown into doubt when he was traded from the Arizona Coyotes to Montreal and demoted to its minor league affiliate, the St. John’s Ice Dogs.

And when Arizona shipped Scott east on January 15, it appeared the National Hockey League would get its wish to keep Scott from spending this weekend in Nashville.

The NHL has changed that, and Scott has changed that. I sat down with (NHL commissioner) Gary (Bettman) and we had a quick chat. “If the National Hockey League had fingers in it – I’d like to think they didn’t”, he said.

Jagr said when you are old, you “do everything just to survive the game”. We wanted you to be here, and just go have fun, and our support is behind you.

“It was nice to hear that coming from him”.

And that’s a good thing. In many ways, there’s no better person to connect with the fans than John Scott. His former teammate Brent Burns is ready and waiting for him in Nashville, and so is a bevy of new John Scott fans. 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”. “Don’t underestimate his skill”.

Hockey had always played a large role in Backstrom’s upbringing. But he has skill.

At 43, Jagr passed on the fastest skater competition in which Dylan Larkin, 19, Brandon Saad, 23, Erik Karlsson, 25, and Kris Letang, 28 will represent the Eastern Conference. But getting there won’t be easy, as Jagr knows. He has a long reach. The ultimate goal for us is to go deeper than we did a year ago, so sometimes you have to make those decisions.

“I read a ton of articles and I didn’t really care for some of them”, Scott said. “It’s about the whole year, spending it with the guys”, he said.

Shortly thereafter, the details started to emerge surrounding Scott and the All-Star Game, how Don Maloney and Bill Daly had both asked him to not go, offering a paid vacation instead.

The Flyers’ Claude Giroux said he plans to ask Scott for a signed stick. I’m obviously an anomaly. “I’m not the typical All-Star, and it’s probably not going to happen again”.

“I’ll get a hat trick and everyone will be like, ‘Oh wow'”.

This NHL rule is pretty stupid.

Still, Scott seems to be enjoying being the center of attention.

“I weigh 265 pounds I hope I can shoot it hard”, said Scott.

If he scores a goal, he says he plans a special goal celebration. They are a dying breed and Scott(along with Ryan Reaves) are one of the league’s true tough guys. I think he’s going to be the most popular player on the ice….

“If they dont want certain players here, they shouldnt let the fans vote, ” Benn said. Before then, fans only knew him for a famous altercation with Phil Kessel and suspensions.