Conspiracy theorists can officially stand down.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league always intended to honor a fan vote that named John Scott as captain of the Pacific Division's All-Star squad.
"The fans spoke in large numbers for the process and he's going to be joining us in Nashville. There was never any doubt about that," Bettman told Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area.
"Obviously the fans decided it was important to vote for him, and we respect that. Whether or not we need to make adjustments into the future and ensure that truly All-Star players are there is something we'll worry about after we go to Nashville."
Eyebrows were raised when Scott was traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the Montreal Canadiens and subsequently assigned to the AHL's St. John's IceCaps, seemingly disqualifying him from participating at the league's annual showcase.
According to Bettman, the league didn't have to decide whether or not Scott would attend, although there were reports he was asked to bow out on his own volition.
"No. We had to evaluate the circumstances to make sure we weren't missing anything," he said. "But the league never had to make a different decision over the weekend. I know there was a lot of speculation about that. That was not true."
As an offshoot of Scott's trade to Montreal, the Coyotes aren't expected to have a representative at All-Star Weekend.
