Retired NHL enforcer John Scott said his controversial comments about P.K. Subban are from a two-year-old interview and that he believes the Nashville Predators star is a “world-class player.”
An episode of ESPN’s E:60 focusing on Subban aired Sunday and featured Scott’s harsh remarks. “I don’t like him. I think on the ice, he’s a piece of garbage,” Scott said about the defenceman. “Perceived as like a hot shot, this guy thinks he’s better than everybody.”
On Monday afternoon Scott joined The Andrew Walker Show on Sportsnet 590 The FAN to clarify his comments.
“Can I just say that interview was done about two years ago and it wasn’t in context with anything P.K. is doing right now,” he said. “They stored that away and just dug that out now … It got taken a little out of context because that interview happened quite a long time ago.”
Scott said the interview brought him plenty of negative reaction on Twitter and noted that since conducting it, he’s built a relationship with Subban.
“He’s such a cool guy,” said Scott. “I like the guy and consider him a friend. To have that come out now is a shame.”
Subban and the Predators will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final Monday night. Scott says he doesn’t want people to think his words were in concert with the Predators’ impressive run.
However, the 34-year-old made it clear he would stand behind his words.
“I’m not going to back away from my comments,” he said. “When I said it, I meant what I said. I think he was kind of a piece of garbage with the stuff that he does, but he’s a world-class player. If you had asked me about anybody I played against, I would probably call them a piece of trash. That’s just how I played. I didn’t make friends on the ice.”
Scott, a left-winger, accumulated 544 penalty minutes in 286 career NHL games across parts of 10 seasons. He was teammates with Subban at the 2015 NHL All-Star Game and said on Monday that players like the flamboyant defenceman are necessary.
“I think P.K. does it the right way. He’s not a media whore. He’s not out there trying to put all the attention on himself. He still is a good teammate. He’s always the first guy to say ‘I messed up.’ … I’m not trying to kiss his ass now that I said that.
“You need a couple guys like that on the team,” Scott continued. “If every guy was like that I think it would be embarrassing. I wouldn’t watch the game. But he mixes it up a little bit, he has some fun with the game. I think that’s needed in this age now, where everyone’s vanilla.”
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