Journeyman/all-star MVP Scott having fun as fan favourite playing in minors
There were still some nine minutes remaining in the third period when the excited mob of youngsters began gathering outside the St. John’s IceCaps’ locker-room door.
John Scott had just skated off after picking up a 10-minute misconduct for playing a minor role in a scuffle, and the antsy kids were tripping over themselves hoping to catch a glimpse of the NHL’s unlikeliest all-star game MVP.
“I think I saw him!” someone gasped, peering through the dimly lit maze of iron supports beneath the dusty stands of Syracuse’s War Memorial Arena before a security person shooed them away. The scene was no different the night before, when extra security personnel were called in for crowd control.
This is what Scott’s life has become in the aftermath of the handwringing controversy over whether the bit-playing journeyman enforcer was worthy of being deemed an all-star after being voted in by fans. The 6-foot-8 gentle giant instead emerged as an overnight sensation, earning admiration from fans and fellow players alike for standing his ground in the face of doubters and critics.
“It’s almost like a movie,” a smiling Scott said, reflecting back on the past two months. “Honestly, no one could ever script this would happen.”
And yet, there is a movie in the works, which is also something Scott could never have envisioned.
“I’m a super lucky guy with all that’s happened,” he said.
If that sounds odd, it should: One moment in January, Scott was trying on his personalized pair of allstar gloves in Arizona. The next, the Coyotes traded Scott to Montreal, where he was immediately shipped to the American Hockey League’s remotest outpost in St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador.
That’s 1,600 kilometres from Montreal and more than 4,800 from Phoenix.
A few weeks later, the 33-yearold Scott was being hoisted on his teammates’ shoulders amid fans chanting “M-V-P!” after he captained the NHL’s Pacific Division team to an all-star title in Nashville.
All of this began as the most difficult time in Scott’s career, in which the defining moment occurred when he said an NHL official questioned whether his daughters would be proud of him playing in the game. And it ended with Scott winning over everyone’s hearts because, after all, who doesn’t love an underdog story?
“I get letters from people, and it really touches you, and sometimes it chokes me up,” Scott said. “It’s like (they write): ‘I watched you in the all-star game and you were an inspiration, and I just want to thank you for turning my life around.’”
Scott hasn’t missed a beat in St. John’s, a quaint fishing community that’s as close to Ireland as it is to Minnesota, where Scott broke into the NHL with the Wild in 2008-09.
“As soon as I got there, everybody was super friendly,” he said. “I walk down the street and it’s, ‘Hey, John. Congrats. Hey, we’ll meet you for a beer later.’ It’s so fun. I love that city.”
And yes, Scott has been, as the locals put it, “screeched in.”
It’s a long-held rite of passage for newcomers to kiss a fish (usually a cod), drink a shot of rum ( known as screech) and recite a saying that ends with “long may your big jib draw,” which translates to: “May your sails always catch wind.”
He’s also quickly adapted to his new team.
The big forward, who has two goals and two assists in 21 games through last weekend, plays a regular shift, including a role on the power play. He can also double as a defenceman, as happened Sunday when St. John’s Brett Lernout was ejected in the first period.
“It’s not an easy situation for him, but he’s making the most of it,” IceCaps coach Sylvain Lefebvre said. “He’s a big brother, as he should be in the locker-room. And the guys enjoy being around him. That’s a big tribute to him.”
The St. John’s road trip through central New York allowed Scott to reunite with his wife, Danielle, who made the drive from Michigan with their kids, including newborn twins, Sofia and Estelle. She was amazed to see how fans are drawn to her husband.
“We were down at breakfast and some guy was talking to him,” she said. “I was like, ‘ Was that one of your coaches?’ And he said, ‘No, it’s just everybody recognizes me where ever I go.’”
“It’s just funny,” she added. “What ended up being one of our hardest moments turns into the greatest beyond what we ever could have expected.”
Says Scott: “I was super lucky before all this stuff. But after this, it’s like, holy. I must have six or seven angels looking out for me. I’m so blessed.”