After 286 NHL games, 43 fights and one fairytale all-star appearance, John Scott has decided to hang up his skates.
The 34-year-old enforcer announced his retirement in an article written forThe Players’ Tribune on Wednesday, ending his 10-year career in pro hockey.
In the article, Scott reflects on his unlikely tenure as an NHL player, fighting’s place in hockey and the psyche of an enforcer. He also talks in great depth about his final season in the NHL — capped by an excellent story about his awkward encounter with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman — and the roller coaster of emotions he went through after being voted into the all-star game.
What started as a joke on the Internet turned into a life-changing few months for the popular enforcer.
As a result of the online campaign, Scott garnered more votes than any player for the all-star game. Shortly after he was traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the Montreal Canadiens, who assigned him to their AHL affiliate in St. John’s, which took an emotional toll on Scott with his pregnant wife and two daughters thousands of miles away in Arizona.
Despite the league’s initial resistance, Scott’s addition to the all-star game made for one of the best hockey stories in ages. The 6-foot-8 behemoth would go on to score two goals in the three-on-three tournament and was voted MVP by the fans.
Scott played one game after his fairytale all-star appearance with the Montreal Canadiens before returning to Michigan to be with his family.
The Edmonton native played for seven teams over 10 seasons, finishing with five goals, 11 points, 544 penalty minutes and one helluva story to tell his kids.
