The 2016 Honda National Hockey League All Star Game Most
Valuable Player, John Scott, will be getting at least another game in the NHL before
the close of the 2015-2016 season.
Scott, who had received the most votes during the fan voting
for the All-Star Game before being traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the
Montreal Canadiens, along with defenseman Victor Bartley for Jarred Tinordi and
Stephen Fournier.
He was immediately
assigned to the Candiens’ American Hockey League affiliate, the St. John’s
IceCaps. All of this while his wife Danielle, was pregnant with twin daughters.
Even though he was still in the minors, he received the chance to go to
Nashville to play in the All Star Game.
Not only did he receive the most votes from the fans in
Arizona and around the league to be the captain of the Pacific Division, he
also was named the MVP of the game. After leaving Nashville, he returned to
Traverse City, Michigan with Danielle where she gave birth to the twin girls.
After the All Star Break, Scott returned to St. John’s where
he has been getting regular visits with reporters requesting interviews
detailing his compelling story and ride through 2015-2016. The most recent with
this past Sunday with the New York Times.
With the Canadiens being out of the playoffs for a few weeks
now, coach Michael Therrien felt they wanted to repay Scott for the
professionalism he has shown since they acquired him. Therrien made it clear
that Scott would play one game for the leagues oldest franchise.
Scott said, “I think
it is more of a one game thing, kind of a do me a favor and experience what it
is like to be a Canadien. So it is a one game thing. Unless I go out and score
a hat trick.”
Terrien told nhl.com how impressed the Canadiens have been
with Scott since he reported to the IceCaps, helping work with the organization’s
young players and not once complaining about his situation.
The coach added, “First
he is a great guy to be around, I did not know him much. But when I saw what
happened at the All Star Game, that was quite a story. All the players really
respect him around the league. The idea is we want to show our respect because he
has been a real pro since he joined us, and we want to give him an opportunity
to play a game with the Montreal Candiens.”
The fact that the Canadiens have been evaluating the future
and younger players that have been filling in for some of the injured stars,
has made the transition in the room easier for Scott. He said, “I have not met most of the guys, well
actually half of the team I have met in St. John’s.”
Scott will get his chance to lace them up for the Canadiens,
Tuesday night at the Bell Centre when they host the Atlantic Division leading
Florida Panthers. The game will mark the 286th game and seventh team
for the 33 year-old forward.
The unrestricted free agent remains confident that he will
find work in the NHL next season, and is more than happy to play the end of a
memorable, made for movie season in St. John’s. He added, “I have had fun down there, it has been a good experience, it is good
to be back in the NHL. But I will be happy to go down to St. Johns too.”
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