John Scott has 11 career points in 285 career games at the NHL level. With only one of those points coming this season, Scott — generally known as an enforcer — had no business being voted into the league’s All-Star Game this year. But, after fans hijacked the vote, he not only landed a roster spot on the Pacific division’s team, but – as the leading vote-getter – was also named a captain.
Recognizing that Scott being voted into the game is an epic troll job that exposes how much of a joke fan voting is, both the NHL and Coyotes asked the veteran forward to not take part in the All-Star festivities. But he refused, and it looked like, against all odds, John Scott was going to play in a NHL All-Star Game.
That is until Monday, when the Coyotes sent Scott to the Montreal Canadiens in a three-team trade that also included the Nashville Predators.
The #habs sent John Scott to AHL St. John's and aren't likely to recall him. That would make him ineligible for the NHL all-star game.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 15, 2016
John Scott was previously asked by both NHL and Arizona Coyotes to bow out of NHL All-Star Game. He refused. Trade likely takes care of that
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 15, 2016
With Scott getting sent out of the Pacific and demoted to the AHL, he becomes ineligible to play in the All-Star Game just a little over two weeks prior to festivities in Nashville. That’s pretty convenient, huh?
It’s also worth noting that Scott had the chance to earn $90,000 if his team won the ASG, which isn’t exactly chump change when you consider it’s 16 percent of his $575,000 salary. And, to make matters worse, Scott’s wife is expecting twins in the very near future. Pretty brutal.
Again, Scott had no business being in the game to begin with, but it’s hard not to feel bad for the guy. He was looking forward to playing in his first (and – pretty safe to say – his last) ASG, then all of a sudden he’s being traded and demoted in one swift move that sends him over 4,000 miles away while he’s expecting the birth of his children. And, worst of all, this all likely happened just because the NHL was embarrassed that it allowed its own All-Star voting to get out of hand.
