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On John Scott, and the NHL showcasing the love of the game

Wayne Schaab scored 354 goals and had 929 assists over a 13-year professional hockey career that extended through the 1970s and into the early '80s. His best season, in which he had an incredible 69 assists and 96 points for the Flyers affiliate, the Maine Mariners, was also his second-to-last, because back in 1981-1982 there were far fewer NHL teams and far fewer opportunities for a small skinny forward with great hands but, as I recall, not the fleetest of feet.

That was my first year as a sports writer with The Journal-Tribune in Biddeford, Maine -- a newspaper, I am proud to say, that still exists. Schaab could not only score, he was an integral part of the Flyers development of their younger players, guys like Dave Brown and later, in his final season, Dave Poulin.

He never played a single game in the NHL, although I am pretty sure there would be a place for him if he came along today.

Which brings me to John Scott, All-Star MVP, career minor-leaguer and lightning rod to a debate about how much influence fans should have in selecting All-Star teams.

The fans got this right. Big time. Maybe not for the reason I'm about to mention, but that doesn't mean we can't use it as a template going forward.

Even before he scored two goals to help the Pacific reach the final game of the NHL's compelling 3-on-3 format, Scott's addition proved to be far more interesting than just a practical joke on the league.

Including four years at Michigan Tech, the 33-year-old 6-8 enforcer has been kicking around from team to team and town to town for 15 seasons. Three of his first four professional seasons were in the AHL. And now, with two kids and two on the way, he is back there, banging into players who were barely out of diapers when this journey started, fighting them even.

He is a hockey Crash Davis, or he would be if he ever scored at any level, even in college. Scott's goal output Sunday equaled or doubled his output even in three of his four seasons at Michigan Tech.

Yes he's been compensated for his efforts, but really, is there any doubt after Sunday that the man loves the game? And that he appreciates it as if he was actually living every fan's fantasy?

There should be room for a guy like this every year. Not just in the NHL all-star game, but baseball's and basketball's and, if you could even find such a person inside of the scope of football, the Pro Bowl too. A career minor-league veteran like the one characterized in Bull Durham, helping prospects as his own dream fades. A hoopster who has chased his dream from 10-day contract to 10-day contract, around the world, dragging his loved ones around for the ride.

Someone like Wayne Schaab, who gave more than he got from the game.

Someone like Scott, who made this all-star game far more compelling than the one that followed it, and far more compelling than most.

As we learned Sunday, his appreciation for the crowd-pleasing moment was the payoff.

The goals were just icing.