John Scott speaks following controversial trade, addresses All-Star status
The NHL made one of its worst PR moves of the season last week when the Arizona Coyotes traded John Scott -- one of the fan-voted All-Star captains -- to the Montreal Canadiens after the NHL and Coyotes reportedly asked Scott to step down from his position as an All-Star captain.
Now that Scott is a member of the Montreal Canadiens, he plays in the Atlantic Division, which already has a fan-voted captain in Jaromir Jagr of the Florida Panthers. It is unclear whether Scott would be able to captain the Pacific Division's All-Star squad despite the trade, meaning the NHL might have succeeded in preventing Scott from serving as a captain. To further complicate matters, Scott was immediately sent to the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the St. John's Ice Caps, so he is not currently an NHL player.
Even Scott does not know where he stands for the All-Star Game. Via SportsNet:
"I wish I had the answer," Scott said when reporters asked what his All-Star status is. "I haven't really heard anything from the league or anything, so I don't know what the position is or kind of where anybody stands right now. It's still kind of up in the air."
Of course, the entire vote was a joke to begin with. Scott does not have the numbers of a typical All-Star player, and the fan vote was seen as a way for fans to make fun of the current system to determine All-Star captains. But the NHL did not seem to appreciate the effort by fans to prove anyone can be an All-Star.
The trade might have subverted fan actions, and it also complicated Scott's home life since his wife is pregnant with twins and due to deliver any time. She therefore has been unable to join Scott all the way across the continent in St. John's.
But Scott remained gracious in his first interview with reporters, refusing to bite on any of the bait reporters offered in questions about how he was voted into the All-Star Game and what he thought of everything that's happened since.
Scott's continued grace despite the controversy might just continue to alienate NHL executives from NHL fans.
