The John Scott hit--why he's on the Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have the youngest team in the league.

Last night they dressed four teenagers:  Mikhail Grigorenko, Zemgus Girgensons, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov.

In addition, Mark Pysyk and Johan Larsson are 21-yr. old rookies.

John Scott is hated throughout the league. He is also hated by a good portion of the Buffalo fan-base. The haters say he has can't skate and has no skill, which is true.

Bruins coach Claude Julien said this about Scott after the game last night in which Scott threw a hit to Loui Eriksson (and his head,) "He's here to do two things, fight and hurt. He did both of those things."

There's a huge contingency who think John Scott should not be in the NHL and they want him out of the league.

In light of the Milan Lucic/Ryan Miller incident, or going back further to the head-shot Chris Neil laid on Chris Drury, and with the full backdrop of the Rivalry piece NBCSN did on the Sabres and Bruins, the question is this:

Do those six youngins, as well as skill players like Thomas Vanek and Cody Hodgson, not to mention Miller, think Scott is totally useless and should not be on the team?

The feeling here is that Scott has a role to fill. And it's not about scoring, it's about allowing the skill players to play the game with minimal fear.

You can click here as I defend Scott.

Or here for how he changed the post-Lucic/Miller, Boston/Buffalo relationship in his very first game against the B's.

For everything John Scott, click here.

Scott is not a goon, persay, he's an enforcer. And although last night wasn't very smart, this is why Sabres GM Darcy Regier re-signed him, "[Scott] created a safe work environment."

And he should continue that role with the Buffalo Sabres.


From my bud, Cisco:

"It was a bad hit, I think anyone should be able to recognize that. Generally, Scott doesn't pull that stuff, however. Overall, I don't have a problem with Scott taking up a roster spot on this team, he has a job that is still more or less needed in the NHL. What I dislike is having him play every game, and get a semi-regular shift. He's the NHL equivalent of a punter, he gets a shift when his very limited skill set is needed. The fact that he was out there just in case Grigorenko decided to wake up is bad management.

Scott will be suspended, though it shouldn't be 10 games - he simply doesn't have a suspension history to justify him getting more than Lapierre or as much as Kaleta. He definitely should be used with far more discretion than Rolston has shown, however."