National Hockey League brought up John Scott’s kids in a guilt attempt

The San Jose Sharks defenseman is one of the many NHL All-Stars in town for the weekend who are genuinely happy to be in Nashville and enjoy the experience with family and friends.

The man without a team got the main spotlight Friday at Media Day in Bridgestone Arena.

A fan campaign made Scott captain of the Pacific Division before the Arizona Coyotes traded him January 15 to Montreal, which assigned him to the AHL. Corey Schneider of New Jersey, Nashville’s own Pekka Rinne, Bishop and Anaheim’s John Gibson all had assists.

What a joke. Except, nobody’s laughing anymore.

An eight-year veteran whose wife Danielle is from Traverse City and who lives here in the off-season, Scott is a…”complementary player”. There aren’t many flights from Phoenix to the Atlantic time zone.

At the point of the voting, Scott had played around 10 games and was known for his enforcer on the ice talent.

It was those barbs that inspired Scott to write a piece for the Players’ Tribune Thursday, telling his side of the controversy. The most eye-popping accusation was when Scott said he received a call from an unnamed National Hockey League official who asked, “Do you think this is something your kids would be proud of?”. “It’s nice to hear that they are behind me”. That was it, right there.

Look, I’ve ripped Scott in the past for things he’s done on the ice and I stand by what I said at the time. “I ran into Barry Trotz, our coach, and he’s talked a little bit of strategy already”, said New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh. He said, ‘You know, we’re happy to have you here.

“I learned just to keep my mouth shut and go to work”, Scott said.

Fans, who voted Scott into the game as a starter despite having only played 11 games this season, also seemed happy.

In places like Buffalo where Scott has played, he’s a beloved figure in dressing rooms and front offices and a favorite among the media.

Scott, a Michigan Tech engineering graduate, dislikes the goon label. “I don’t know. I’ve never played it, so I can’t really tell you”.

He’s got two daughters under the age of 5.

Now, Scott’s story has gone across North America. He’s taken unfair treatment in stride, and brought way more attention to this game than it’s ever had before. And for some good reasons. “Now, I am more afraid of fighting [enforcer] John Scott during All-Star Game; [he’ll] kill me for sure”. “I’ve had a lot of big things in hockey, whether it’s the [Phil] Kessel [incident] or the suspensions or this or that”, Scott said.

“(Toews) was pulled from Tuesday night’s third period because of an illness and remains symptomatic today”, Blackhawks team physician Michael Terry said in a statement.

“It’s nice to kind of get appreciated, maybe?”

Because like all Cinderellas, Scott’s glass slipper will fall off on Sunday at the stroke of midnight, and he will head back to a remote outpost as one of hockey’s last skating dinosaurs.

In a clear attempt at regaining some lost PR points, commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday morning that Scott was “welcome” at the All-Star Game. It’s a really derogatory term. Still, I don’t think a lot of people believe in us.

There were rumblings from some around the league – Nashville Predators general manager David Poile opined prior to Scott winning the fan vote that it would be bad for the game if Scott were to earn a roster spot – that the fan vote shouldn’t count.

Players here this weekend are universally in Scott’s corner. “They can skate and do different things”. The league could have easily stopped this train long before it left the station.

John Scott didn’t belong at the All-Star Game, until he did. “Why not? He’s voted in. So I think guys will try”.

Around the league Backstrom has a reputation as a very good player. That’s the case with Johnny.

The Panthers were able to get Jagr practice time at the arena on Saturday, improving his mood.

“The guy is like everybody else”.

“I don’t understand it”, Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo. Like previous years, it was up to the fans to vote and select the captains.