John Scott, a player in the National Hockey League (NHL), was chosen by fans to participate in the All-Star competition from Jan. 30-31, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee.

At first glance, this does not seem that absurd. But, according to USA TODAY, Scott, who has been in the league for eight seasons, is a fourth-line player enforcer who has only scored five goals his entire career.

The NHL was not happy when they found out that the fans had voted in Scott. Mostly because Scott is known to be a fighter and is not the typical “All-Star” hockey player they look for.

Not only did Scott win the right to play in the game, but he was also announced as the captain for the Pacific team.

When Scott’s former team, the Arizona Coyotes, suddenly traded him to the Montreal Canadiens, fans were kind of shocked.

But then the Canadiens sent him down to the AHL affiliate for Montreal, which made him ineligible to participate in the All-Star game.

A lot of fans, including myself, saw this as a ploy to keep him from playing the game. The underdog, who rose from the bottom, was picked by the fans and now could not play in the All-Star game in which he rightfully earned a spot.

Scott is a very likable player and fans sense that. From his sense of humor to his dedication to his family, Scott is an all-around nice guy.

His pregnant wife and two daughters moved from Phoenix to Newfoundland in a matter of days, all while dealing with the Internet going crazy over his spot in the All-Star game.

Scott wrote a personal essay on the past few weeks, reflecting on the whole situation. The Player’s Tribune published the touching essay, giving a glimpse into the head of the suddenly-known player.

In it, Scott said how someone from the NHL called him and asked: “Do you think this is something your kids would be proud of?”

At that point, Scott realized the league was trying to push him from going to Nashville. They were trying so hard that they were bringing his family into it.

Scott, a very modest player who knows he is not the textbook “All-Star player,” reached his breaking point. Probably because it was a low blow that he did not deserve.

But Scott does not even think he deserved to be an All-Star.

“While I may not deserve to be an NHL All-Star, I know I deserve to be the judge of what my kids will — and won’t — be proud of me for,” Scott wrote.

Scott ended up scoring two goals during the competition, helping the Pacific team to victory.

Even though he was not a candidate for the most valuable player of the game, fans awarded Scott the title of MVP.

If you were watching, you could feel the other players’ love for Scott. At one point, Scott and former teammate Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks got into a mock fight.

The Nashville crowd cheered for Scott on both days of the competition, sometimes giving him a standing ovation. He was full of smiles.

It felt very much like an underdog’s story to the top. The NHL should realize that it has this wonderful player who is both dedicated to the game and has good morals. But Scott is an enforcer, which the league sees as a danger to other players.

Of course, the NHL completely ate up the heartwarming story- — a story that was Scott’s fight against the league.

It is all about what makes the most money, right?

The league messed up, but the fans helped fix it. It was the most memorable All-Star game I have watched and I am not sure if anything will top it.

John Scott, you are my, and many other fans scattered worldwide, MVP. 

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole.

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