John Scott Nominates Steve Ott For NHL All-Star Game
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Every hockey fan knows the legend of John Scott.
The gregarious enforcer was voted into last year's All-Star Game through an online fan campaign, much to the chagrin of the NHL, and proceeded to score two goals in the event and claim MVP honors.
The NHL is doing its best to prevent such a fairytale from unfolding again.
On Monday, the league tweaked the rules for All-Star Game fan voting so that any player who's demoted to the AHL prior to the All-Star game is ineligible to participate in the event.
Scott was sent down to the AHL ahead of last year's game after being suspiciously traded from the Coyotes to the Canadiens.
Still, the voting power remains in the hands of the fans, who can select one player from each division regardless of position. One of those fans is now John Scott himself, as the 34-year-old retired at the end of last season.
So if Scott were to fill out a ballot, who would he vote for?
"I think for sheer entertainment factor, to have someone like John Scott, I'd go with my buddy Steve Ott," Scott told Yahoo.com's PuckDaddy podcast on Monday. "He's always funny."
Scott also nominated Sharks' defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, calling him "the best defenseman in the league."
"But those two guys you can't go wrong with," Scott added.
In some ways, Ott is the John Scott of the Red Wings.
He has spent the majority of his career as a fourth-line grinder known mostly for dropping the gloves. More than that, he's regarded as a friendly, outgoing guy in the locker room, always well-liked by his teammates.
Through the early parts of this season, Ott has helped instill a toughness in the Red Wings.
He and Scott played together on the Sabres. And they have a bit of a history.
For what it's worth, Scott voiced support for the league's new All-Star Game voting policy.
"I expected something to come about," he told Yahoo.com. "It's good. Something had to happen. I don't think they wanted a situation like me to happen again. Guys in the AHL, guys that are hurt … I don't think they should be included anymore. I think it was a one-time thing. It's a good rule."
But Ott isn't in the AHL (nor is he hurt), and he likely won't be sent down at any point this season. So, Wings fans, could Steve Ott be this year's John Scott?
The ball - the puck? - is in your hands.