Beloved NHL enforcer announces retirement, makes shocking confession at the end of his career.

It came as little surprise today when long-time National Hockey League enforcer John Scott announced that he was officially stepping away from the game of hockey, but he did make a few very surprising revelations during that announcement.

During his career there is little doubt that Scott was one of the most feared men in the National Hockey League, but to hear him talk about his role as an enforcer makes it sound like he truly hated fighting.

From Scott in the Player's Tribune:

Can I just make a final confession, though? I don’t care what people remember about me as a hockey player, but please remember this one thing: I didn’t love to fight. The actual 30 seconds of fighting was fine. Your adrenaline takes over and the competition of battling at such a high level is actually enjoyable. The problem is all the anticipation of having to drop the gloves with another very skilled individual who can hurt you. The waiting is what drives you crazy. It’s not very easy on your psyche, especially once you have a family.

Despite that, Scott believes that fighting plays an important role in the game of hockey especially when it comes tothe number of liberties players are willing to take with other players when they know punishment in one form or another is waiting for them at the hands of an enforcer should they cross the line. In fact he points to the recent situation with Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary as an example of where a player like him could have been of use.

Despite that Scott hopes that he is remembered as more than just an NHL enforcer, and even hinted at what he would like to see on his tombstone once he's gone from this world.

[pub]

If I had this on my tombstone, I would be happy:

Here lies John Scott. 
He tried not to be a dick. 
And he was a good dad.

We wish Scott all the best in the next chapter of his life after hockey.