Hartnett: Unconventional NHL All-Star Format Proves To Be A Big Hit
By Sean Hartnett
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In danger of becoming a non-competitive snoozefest like the NFL's Pro Bowl, the NHL All-Star Game needed a jolt of life. The introduction of an unconventional three-on-three tournament between four teams split by division drew its fair share of snickering and skepticism -- but, ultimately, the new format delivered the goods.
The lively city of Nashville was treated to the most exciting and feel-good All-Star exhibition in decades. By definition, the NHL All-Star Game is supposed to be a celebration of all that is good about the game. The 2016 edition had everything -- competitiveness, exciting pace and even a goaltending duel -- as the Pacific Division sealed a 1-0 victory over the Atlantic Division in the championship game.
Pride was back on the line. three-on-three play opened space for the skill players to showcase their athleticism and trickery. The wide-open style forced players to skate hard. Any player not doing so would have been highlighted. Gone was the light-gliding days of All-Star games past.
At the center of at all was 6-foot-8 behemoth John Scott, who handled an awkward situation with pure class. The 260-pounder had the last laugh after nearly being blackballed from the game via league opposition, delivering a two-goal MVP performance that led to him being lifted by Pacific Division teammates à la Rudy.
Despite the league pulling out all the stops to curb the 33-year-old's inclusion, the NHL eventually bowed to the fan outcry and Scott's steadfast desire to participate at All-Star Weekend and captain the Pacific. Kudos to NHL fans for proving who the game truly belongs to.
Together, the Arizona Coyotes and the NHL had pressured Scott to drop out of the All-Star Game. Scott stated this belief in an eloquent column for The Players' Tribune. A clearly orchestrated trade between the Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens sent Scott, his pregnant wife Danielle and two daughters from NHL Glendale to AHL Newfoundland.
According to Scott's Player's Tribune column, a league official pressured him to bow out of All-Star Weekend:
"It means a lot to my family," Scott said. "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.
"That was it, right there," he continued. "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 AHL demotion effectively ended Scott's All-Star participation before the league took a U-turn.
"I am looking forward to enjoying a fun and unique experience at All-Star Weekend in Nashville with my family," Scott said after the league gave him the green light. "While being voted to the All-Star Game by the fans was not something I expected to happen, I am excited to participate in the All-Star events with my fellow players."
Scott did not look out of place even while having to keep up with all the flashy, high-earning players darting across the Bridgestone Arena ice. After scoring two goals in the opening round, Scott was showered with chants of "M-V-P" from start-to-finish during the championship game.
The unlikely hero, the everyman had won. The fans had won.
Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey
