Editor's note: This post was scheduled to run two days ago and somehow did not. But we'd hate for it to go to waste, so even though it's painfully old news at this time, we're running it now, so you should just deal with it.
Behold, the power of The Player's Tribune.
Online outrage was already mounting, as it so often is, before the athlete-powered media company published Scott's firsthand account of the events that saw him named to the NHL All-Star Game, then traded from Arizona to Newfoundland. But after Scott's story landed online, the heavyweight was in complete control, which is really saying something because, again, he was writing from exile in Newfoundland. Most pundits are naming Scott the big winner of the NHL All-Star Game, and that's hard to argue, especially after his two-goal, five-ovation, MVP weekend. But I'd say he should share the podium with The Player's Tribune, which solidified its reputation through this whole ordeal as the best way for players to seize control of a situation if and when they find themselves at war with their own league.
But Scott owes his big weekend to more than just the pitch-perfect essay that bore his byline, even though it was probably written by Alex Haley or something. Credit should also go to his Pacific Division teammates, who came together to pitch a shutout in the final game of the NHL's three-on-three All-Star tournament.
Again: a shutout. In an All-Star Game. That's unheard of. You don't shut out the best players in the world by accident, even (or especially) in a chintzy three-on-three tournament. Who commits to playing defence on a day like this? Team Pacific Division, that's who, and it wasn't hard to see who was leading the way in this regard: Daniel Sedin.
We talked yesterday about Daniel Sedin's offensive contributions. The younger Sedin's two goals and two assists gave him a share of the mini-tournament scoring lead, and that second helper came on Corey Perry's tournament winner. He was a big part of his team's offence, as he so often is. But Daniel's defensive contributions were equally invaluable: he was the last man back in almost every instance he was on the ice. The commentators spent most of the afternoon lauding Patrice Bergeron's defensive acumen, but if they handed out the Selke at this tournament, Daniel would have gotten my vote. What forward goes to the All-Star Game and decides to be his team's defensive backbone? People's jaws dropped when P.K. Subban went down to block a shot. Meanwhile, Daniel Sedin got back like someone who don't know Ludacris like that, and no one said a thing.
He probably didn't mind. Really, Daniel's first solo ASG appearance was peak Sedin. Rather than show off, stand out, or soak up the limelight, Sedin was workmanlike, often to a hilarious degree. After scoring on a breakaway in his first game, he deadpanned all the way back to the bench. Heck, look at him in his team's victory photo. Lighten up, Daniel! And then he gave hs winnings to charity.
No one cares about leadership in a tournament like this, but watching Daniel Sedin on the weekend, it was clear that the man can't turn it off. Even in Nashville on a relatively mean-nothing weekend, he couldn't turn it off. Which might explain why the Canucks' rookies are now raving about his leadership. Here's Jared McCann, from The Province:
“I don’t think there’s any better person to learn from,” McCann said of the long-serving left winger.
“Everything he does on and off the ice, he does it so well. He’s a leader and it’s hard to explain, but he’s probably one of the best role models you could ask for a player coming in here. He works so hard every day and as a young guy, you look up to him for advice. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
I'd say McCann stopped short of calling Daniel Sedin the perfect human, but he said that too.
As for me, I wouldn't go that far. Perfect human? There's another Sedin and he has more career points. But perfect teammate? That's harder to argue, especially after Daniel and co. locked it down in the final to make sure John Scott's incredible story had its perfect ending.
