John Scott confirmed Thursday that the NHL and the Arizona Coyotes repeatedly asked him not to take part in the All-Star Game, and he's not happy about how the entire situation was handled.
The veteran pugilist told his side of the story in a first-hand account published Thursday on The Players' Tribune.
"So when someone from the NHL calls me and says, 'Do you think this is something your kids would be proud of?' That’s when they lost me," Scott wrote.
"That was it, right there. That was the moment. Because, 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."
The 33-year-old forward says the league requested a public statement from him in a clear attempt to manipulate the vote.
"So when they asked me to make a statement - nudging the fan vote in another direction and denouncing the John Scott 'movement' - I did it without hesitation. I told the fans, 'Listen. I don't deserve this. Vote for my teammates.' And I was telling the truth."
Scott was voted into the All-Star tournament as Pacific Division captain before being traded by the Coyotes to the Montreal Canadiens, who immediately sent him to the AHL's St. John's IceCaps.
He was eventually allowed to take part in the game, but he's still not pleased with how the NHL dealt with him.
"But while I don't deserve to be an All-Star, I also don't think I deserve to be treated like I’ve been by the league throughout this saga. I'm an NHL player - and, whatever my set of skills may be, that I'm an NHL player is no accident. I genuinely believe that when I'm on the ice, or even just the bench, I make my teammates feel safe to do what they do best."
Related: John Scott guarantees he'll impress players, spectators at All-Star Game
Scott added that someone from the league initially contacted him and told him, "This is not a game for you, John."
This candid account of the affair confirms TSN's Bob McKenzie's post-trade report that both the Coyotes and the NHL asked Scott to bow out of the All-Star events, and that Scott refused.
