The Montreal Canadiens have never been accused of being a boring franchise. This series is a look back at the moments that made you throw your hands up, lose your mind, ugly cry, hold your breath, scratch your head, and cheer so loudly you scared the dog \u2026 sometimes all at once. If you were there the first time around, you know. If you weren\u2019t, hop in the DeLorean cause we\u2019re going back in time.<\/p>\n
Every now and then, hockey throws you a storyline so delightfully absurd it\u2019s hard to forget \u2014 enter John Scott\u2019s journey to 2016 All-Star hero and accidental fan favourite. What started as a prank vote by fans quickly snowballed into one of the most heartwarming underdog sagas the NHL has ever seen. And for Montreal Canadiens fans who were initially baffled by the trade that brought him to the organization, it became a tale of unexpected fandom, with everyone rallying behind a player who was suddenly impossible not to root for.<\/p>\n
How the \u201cJoke\u201d Started<\/p>\n
The 2015-16 season was ordinary enough for John Scott: a typical enforcer with limited ice time, barely a blip on the stat sheet for the Arizona Coyotes. That was before the internet intervened with a tongue-in-cheek fan campaign to vote Scott into the 2016 NHL All-Star Game. The voting snowballed, and suddenly Scott was overwhelmingly elected captain of the Pacific Division, slated to play alongside the league\u2019s elite like Alexander Ovechkin and Jaromir Jagr.<\/p>\n
Gary Bettman was not amused. League officials reportedly urged Scott to step aside, citing eligibility rules and concerns that it was a \u201cjoke,\u201d but Scott, ever good-natured and stubbornly charming, said he\u2019s playing. And the universe (plus social media) was ready for him.<\/p>\n
The next chapter of the story unfolded on January 15, 2016 when the Coyotes traded Scott to the Canadiens in a three-team, multi-player deal. Immediately, Montreal assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the St. John\u2019s IceCaps, rendering him technically ineligible to play in the All-Star Game. Little did Marc Bergevin know how much fuel he just poured on the fire. Fans across the league rallied on social media throwing out memes and hashtags that built a collective outrage so big even the NHL brass couldn\u2019t put their fingers in their ears and ignore. Scott was reinstated as All-Star captain despite his demotion.<\/p>\n
The Making of a Cult Hero<\/p>\n
When Scott finally arrived at the All-Star Game, he was the only player not sporting an NHL team jersey, a nod to the perfect storm of pandemonium that led him there. During the event Scott scored two goals in the three-on-three tournament and every time he touched the puck, the crowd erupted into chants of \u201cM\u2011V\u2011P! M\u2011V\u2011P!\u201d Even opposing players reportedly leaned into it, voting for him over their own stars.<\/p>\n
By the end of the weekend, Scott had officially become the All-Star Game MVP and, as expected, the internet went wild with hashtags like #NHLAllStar and #VoteMVPScott trending above the NFL\u2019s Pro Bowl. What started as a fan prank had transformed into one of the most uplifting, absurd, and utterly entertaining underdog stories in NHL history. In the blink of an eye, the man who had been waived three times that season became the player everyone was cheering for.<\/p>\n
More said\/written about ’16 All Star Game than all others combined. Unexpected bonus from chaotic situation. But in the end; right decision.<\/p>\n