John Scott: 'I'm free, I'm fine. I'm playing hockey and I'm still alive'
John Scott is getting his weekend in Nashville, after all.
The AHL enforcer - with five career NHL goals to his name - was announced as the Pacific Division All-Star captain Tuesday, again, putting an end to what became a major fiasco for the NHL, after the often-benched forward was voted into the game by the Internet-abusing public.
Related: Tweets fly as Scott named All-Star captain ... again
Scott released a statement to go along with the league's announcement:
I am looking forward to enjoying a fun and unique experience at All-Star Weekend in Nashville with my family. While being voted to the All-Star Game by the fans was not something I expected to happen, I am excited to participate in the All-Star events with my fellow players.
ESPN's Pierre LeBrun spoke with Scott on Tuesday morning, and the big man had some candid comments about the situation, and the trade that sent him last week from the Arizona Coyotes to the Montreal Canadiens, and eventually to the AHL's St. John's IceCaps.
Conspiracy theories were flying about the deal and whether it was made to keep Scott from the 3-on-3 All-Star tournament, but Scott never thought about not reporting to Newfoundland.
"I'm making a lot of money playing hockey, why would I stop playing just because someone sent me to St. John's," Scott said. "And besides, St. John's is a nice city. What are you going to do? Cry like a baby or work through it?'
"Everything is fine. Stop the 'Free John Scott' stuff," he added. "I'm free, I'm fine. I'm playing hockey and I'm still alive."
Scott's hopeful the All-Star Game won't be his last in the NHL.
"I think the plan is to just have me (in) St. John's and play with this team and like any other player, if I warrant a call-up, so be it," he said. "It's back to square one in my career I guess. I have to play and earn it and see what happens."
While he was surprised by the trade that sent him to Montreal, Scott harbors no ill feelings towards the Coyotes, who had every right to trade him.
"It's their decision," he said. "They wanted to make their team better and that's what happened."