John Scott is aiming to prove he's no joke at the NHL All-Star Game.
"I'll pick every corner of the net," Scott told Michael Traikos of the National Post on Thursday. "I guarantee I'll be good. I think they'll be trying to get me goals. I'll be sure to tell them before the game, 'Let's get the big guy goals.' I'll get a hat trick and everyone will be like, 'oh wow.'"
From being mocked over his All-Star Game selection, to getting traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the Montreal Canadiens before being sent down to the minors with his wife due to deliver twins, the past few months have been far from ideal for Scott. But the 33-year-old tough guy is turning what most would view as a very difficult situation into a positive experience.
"This is probably a one-time deal for me and I don’t think the league will let it happen again," Scott said. "But it's nice to kind of make everyone stop and think and say, 'There’s other players in the NHL other than the top-tier guys.' It’s a lot harder to be a fourth-line guy than a first-line guy. ...
"I'll bet they get decent ratings this year because that's what everyone is talking about. Everyone wants to see the big goon and see how he does."
NHL players across the league have supported and encouraged Scott right from the get-go, making his decision to participate much easier.
"During stoppages, the players on the other team were saying, 'Good job,'" Scott said. "They’re like, 'I think it's great that you're going to the All-Star Game.' If there was a lot of guys that were upset about it, I would maybe think twice about going. But everyone has just been super cool about it. They just want to see me there, because it's going to be different."
Scott undoubtedly has a lot to prove, and he plans on demonstrating that he possesses the skill required to play in the NHL. Most importantly, he hopes to show the hockey world who he really is.
"It’s funny, because I play in the summer with some old guys and some junior kids and they think, 'Oh you’re a goon, you’re not going to be any good,'" Scott said. "And then I bury seven or eight goals. I am a good hockey player. There is a reason why I'm playing in the NHL."
