All is well that ends well. After a public relations disaster stemming from the fan selection of John Scott to the NHL All Star game, the league was finally able to put forth a solid showing of some of the NHL’s best players.
The mid season break hosted in Nashville showcased some of the talent the NHL has to offer through a skills competition that took place Saturday night. The competition featured some new and upcoming stars like Tyler Sequin, as well as seasoned and tenured veterans like Jaromir Jagr. Hockey games usually show fans intense players and coaches, but the mood on the benches during the competition was light and fun. Players posed for selfies, adorned wigs and funny t-shirts and interacted with fans and fellow NHLers.
Although the results of the competition had no immediate impact on the players and they were taking the competitions lightly, it was evident they were still playing for pride, doing their best to dazzle the crowds and the fans at home with mesmerizing moves and highlight-tape shots. At the end, the Eastern Conference notched the victory, 29-12.
The weekend also played host to a new style of All Star Game, a 3-on-3 tournament style competition in which the two divisions in each conference squared off against one another to face the winner of the other conference.
On Sunday afternoon, it was John Scott, the fan favorite who stole the show, winning All Star Game MVP honors after notching two goals and getting in a “fight” with Blackhawks All Star Patrick Kane. Not only was their pride on the line, but also $1 million dollars tothewinningteam,anditwasclear that Scott was playing for both.
The game was a shining moment in the career of grinder and journeyman John Scott. “It was probably the coolest thing I have done in hockey, for sure,” Scott said during his post game conference. Scott now plays for the Montreal Canadien’s affiliate AHL team in Newfoundland and is not expected to be called up anytime soon, but his performance in the 2016 All Star Game certainly left its mark on the league and the league’s fans.