Controversial enforcer John Scott becomes focal point of NHL All-Star Game

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — First he was in. Then he was out. Then he was back in again.

And John Scott couldn't be happier.

The 6-foot-8-inch left wing, who was voted in by fans to participate in Sunday's NHL All-Star Game only to get traded from Arizona to Montreal and then demoted by the Canadiens to the minors, will get his chance to play with hockey's best at Bridgestone Arena.

"It's nice to be here and in it," Scott said Friday at the NHL's All-Star Media Day. "It's nice to get all the outside noise out of the way, and I can enjoy the weekend.

"The last 2½ weeks have been tough on me and my family. My wife is due with twins, and we've had to relocate. But I'm glad this is settled. I think it's good for the game. It has created a lot of interest."

On Jan. 2, it was announced that Scott, who had one point in 11 games along with 25 penalty minutes with the Coyotes, had been named one of the four captains for the All-Star Game. It became a hot topic of discussion across the hockey universe as supporters and detractors of the vote took up sides in the debate.

Scott was put in an awkward position. Should he accept the honor? Should he tell the NHL no thanks?

On Jan. 15, the Coyotes traded Scott to Montreal, and he was quickly demoted to the Canadiens' American Hockey League farm team in St. John's, Newfoundland. The league said that with Scott in the minors, he was not eligible to play in the NHL All-Star Game.

But there was public outcry over the news. The debate heated up, and Scott wrote a first-person account of the experience that appeared in The Players Tribune on Thursday.

In the piece, he said that he didn't ask for any of this attention, that the fans were the ones who wanted to see him play in the All-Star Game, and that if they voted him in and he couldn't play, the NHL was essentially not listening to its fans.

"I had read a ton of articles, and I didn't like what I was reading," Scott said. "I felt I needed to say what I wanted to, and The Players Tribune gave me that opportunity."

The NHL reconsidered its stance, and commissioner Gary Bettman met briefly with Scott on Thursday night and told him to plan on suiting up.

"He's more than welcome to be here," Bettman said Friday. "We're happy he's here. The fans spoke, and we're happy to reflect their will."

Scott has received a lot of support from his fellow players, and that made it easier for him to accept the NHL's offer to play. He will serve as the Pacific Division captain and will participate in the Hardest Shot competition and the shootout in Saturday's NHL All-Star Skills Competition.

"I don't understand it," Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo said. "It's a great story. He may not be your typical All-Star in terms of skills, but the fans voted him in. He's worked really hard. Let him play."

How popular is Scott's return to the weekend? There was a run on his No. 28 jersey and T-shirt Friday at the Nashville Predators' team store. By early afternoon, the jersey, which retails for $215, was available by special order only.

"It's phenomenal the reaction that he has caused," store manager Dominic Notarfrancesco said. "That's all we're being asked by fans, 'Where's his jersey?'

"We're trying to restock his jersey and T-shirts because of the demand being so high."

Scott said he has never been through anything like this in his life. But he intends to make the most of his All-Star experience and have fun, maybe even score a goal or two.

"It's strange to know I'm going back to Newfoundland (Monday)," he said. "But I'm going to enjoy this weekend, then I'm going back to the real world."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj