Ronald Scott Stevens (born April 1, 1964) is a Canadian professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
coach and former player. As a
defenseman
Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...
, Stevens played 22 seasons in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) for the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
,
St. Louis Blues and
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
, serving as
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of the Devils from 1992 to 2004. Although offensively capable, his defensive play and his heavy
body checking on opponents were crucial to his success.
Stevens started his career with the Capitals, where he helped the team make the
Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time. After spending a season with the Blues, he was acquired by the Devils through arbitration. Personifying the team's defence-first mentality, he captained the Devils to four
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...
appearances in nine years, winning three of them. In
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, he won the
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy () is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general manager, and head coach of the ...
as the
most valuable player
In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...
of the
2000 Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite his team success with the Devils, he never won the
James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman. His career came to an end after a
slapshot hit his head and caused
post-concussion syndrome.
Stevens was later inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...
in 2007, his first year of eligibility. Stevens retired with the most games played by an NHL defenceman (1,635 games), later passed by
Chris Chelios and
Zdeno Chara. Stevens was also the youngest player in league history to reach 1,500 games played, playing in his 1,500th game at age 37 years, 346 days. He did not have a negative
plus/minus in any of his 22 NHL seasons and had the most penalty minutes of any player enshrined in the Hall of Fame until Chris Chelios was inducted in 2013. In 2017, Stevens was named one of the "
100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
Early life
Stevens was born in
Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario, about west of Toronto. It is one of three cities that make up the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is the regional Administrative centre, seat. Kitchener was known as Berlin until a ...
, to Larry and Mary Stevens, the middle child of three brothers.
Larry owned a paper products company and was also a
semi-professional
Semi-professional sports are sports in which athletes are not participating on a full-time basis, but still receive some payment. Semi-professionals are not amateur because they receive regular payment from their team, but generally at a cons ...
Canadian football
Canadian football, or simply football, is a Sports in Canada, sport in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete on a field long and wide, attempting to advance a Ball (gridiron football), pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposi ...
player.
All three Stevens brothers played hockey as children; older brother Geoff would later go on to be a
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
** Scouts BSA, sect ...
for the New Jersey Devils, while
Mike, the youngest, enjoyed a brief NHL career with several teams.
As a youth, Stevens played in the 1976
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a
minor ice hockey
Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...
team from Kitchener. Growing up near Toronto, he was a fan of the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
and idolized Leafs defenceman
Börje Salming.
Stevens attended
Eastwood Collegiate Institute, where he played
middle linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the li ...
on the school's Canadian football team.
One of his teammates was
Markus Koch, who would go on to win a
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
with the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
.
However, hockey was Stevens' true passion. He and his brothers often played hockey in the house, ruining the furniture repeatedly.
He eventually earned a spot on the Kitchener Junior B team and passed on the opportunity to tour
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
with the Kitchener midget team to play there.
His play impressed scouts and he was taken ninth overall by his hometown
Kitchener Rangers in the 1981
Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft.
The 1981–82 Kitchener Rangers were a team that featured several future NHL players. The defensive corps included
Dave Shaw and
Al MacInnis,
Wendell Young was the team's starting goaltender, and the top-scoring line on the team was
Jeff Larmer,
Brian Bellows
Brian Edward Bellows (born September 1, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played nearly 1,200 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota North Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Mighty D ...
and
Grant Martin.
Stevens and Shaw were an integral part of the Rangers' defence, playing in every game of the season ''en route'' to the team's
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a consortium of three Junior ice hockey, major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tou ...
victory. In addition, both played in the OHL All-Star Game.
Rangers head coach
Joe Crozier said of Stevens, "He's come a long way this year ... He's strong, tough, handles the puck well and has tremendous hockey sense."
Stevens led all rookie defencemen in scoring and was named the second-best defensive defenceman and second-best body-checker in a poll of OHL coaches.
Playing career
Washington Capitals (1982–1990)
Stevens was taken fifth overall in the
1982 NHL Entry Draft by the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
. Due to injuries to other players during training camp, Stevens made the team at age 18 and never played a game in the minor leagues.
He made an immediate impact, scoring on his first shot in his first NHL game.
He scored 25 points in his debut season and made the All-Rookie Team. In addition, he led all rookie defencemen in penalty minutes. He finished third in the voting for the
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving ...
, which is awarded to the league's Rookie of the Year. He was also named the Capitals' Rookie of the Year.
Stevens' debut with the Capitals coincided with the team's first playoff appearance, although they were eliminated in the first round by the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
.
The following year, he would nearly double his point total from the previous year, finishing with 13 goals and 32 assists for 45 points. Only teammate
Larry Murphy had more points among defencemen.
His 201 penalty minutes would lead the team; he would ultimately lead the Capitals in the category five times during his tenure with the team, and eventually set the team record for most career penalty minutes by a defenceman.
However, Stevens' success did not translate to the Capitals, who were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Islanders.
During this period, Stevens learned from veterans
Rod Langway and defensive linemate
Brian Engblom on the finer points of playing defence.
Head coach
Bryan Murray also helped calm the fiery young Stevens, who would learn to fight less and play harder.
Stevens spoke fondly of his time with the Capitals years later, saying:
The
1984–85 season would be a breakout year for Stevens. He set a team record for defencemen by scoring 16
power play goals,
and tied a team record for goals by a defenceman with 21.
His performance was good enough to land him a spot in the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
.
Stevens would lead all Capitals defencemen in scoring for the first time, finishing the year with 21 goals and 44 assists,
and earned the team's Fan Favorite Award.
His offensive abilities and size made Murray consider moving him to
winger.
The Capitals finished second in the Patrick Division, but were out of the playoffs early again, this time courtesy of the Islanders.
Before the
next season, the Capitals acquired
Dwight Schofield in the waiver draft. Schofield was known for his abilities as an
enforcer, and his goal was to keep other teams' hitters away from Stevens and Langway, who were deemed too valuable to lose to penalties.
The plan worked, as Stevens finished with 165 penalty minutes, the lowest in his career to that point. He also added 15 goals and 38 assists that season.
However, the Capitals continued their playoff woes; after defeating the Islanders in the first round, they lost to the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
in the division finals.
The
1986–87 season saw Stevens return to his old ways, as he spent a career-high 283 minutes in the penalty box. The total set a Capitals record (since broken) for penalty minutes in a season.
Despite missing three games with a broken right
index finger
The index finger (also referred to as forefinger, first finger, second finger, pointer finger, trigger finger, digitus secundus, digitus II, and many other terms) is the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the thumb and the m ...
, an injury he suffered against the Islanders, Stevens would finish the year third on the team in scoring with 61 points; his 51 assists were also good enough for second on the Capitals. The Caps were once again eliminated by the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs.
During the
1987–88 season, Stevens set Capitals records for most assists and most points by a defenceman in a game, with five assists against the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
on December 6, 1987.
Later that season, he would score at least one assist in eight consecutive games, setting another team record for defencemen.
He finished the year second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 60 assists for 72 points, tops among all Capitals blueliners.
He ended up finishing second behind
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
defenceman
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean Bourque (born December 28, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He holds records for most career goals, assists, and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the James Norris Memorial ...
in the voting for the
James Norris Memorial Trophy. In addition, he was named as an
NHL first team All-Star.
Stevens would suffer a shoulder injury in the first round of the playoffs against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
, a series the Capitals would win.
He returned in time for the Capitals' divisional finals against his future team, the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
. Despite tying a team record by posting four assists in Game 6 of the series,
the Capitals fell four games to three.
The Capitals won the Patrick Division in the
1988–89 season, and Stevens' 68 points (including a team-leading 61 assists) led Caps defencemen. He had 225 penalty minutes; this was the last time Stevens would have over 200 minutes in his career.
He was named to his second All-Star game, and added an assist as the
Wales Conference
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
lost to the
Campbell Conference
Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television n ...
9–5. However, the Caps could not translate their regular-season success into the playoffs, as they lost in the first round to the Flyers.
The
1989–90 season saw mixed success for Stevens. He struggled, as he was beset with injuries, including a broken foot that caused him to miss nearly two months. In addition, he was suspended for three games for gouging
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
player
Dave Manson in the eye during a fight. Stevens said he never hit Manson's eye, but that the eye hit Stevens' helmet during the fight.
Missing a third of the season led to Stevens' lowest point total since his rookie year; he finished with just 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points, although it was still second among Capitals defencemen.
Despite his lowered stats, the Capitals made their furthest inroads in the playoffs ever. After defeating the Devils in the first round and the Rangers in the second round, the Capitals were in the conference finals for the first time in team history where they were swept by the Bruins.
Over eight seasons with the Capitals, Stevens finished with 98 goals and 429 points in 601 games.
He also set team records (all since broken) for penalty minutes (1,630), games played by a defenceman (601), points by a defenceman (429), goals by a defenceman (98), assists by a defenceman (331), playoff games played (67), playoff points (53), playoff assists (44) and playoff goals by a defenceman (9).
St. Louis Blues (1990–1991)
After eight seasons in Washington, Stevens felt it was time to move on.
The
St. Louis Blues courted him and offered a four-year deal worth $5.145 million. Since he was a restricted free agent, Washington had the option to match the
offer sheet. However, they declined and consequently received two first-round draft picks plus $100,000 in cash, turning into five first-round picks if the Capitals did not have a top-seven draft pick in the 1991 or 1992 entry drafts, as compensation (two of these picks would become
Sergei Gonchar and
Brendan Witt).
Stevens' signing had far-reaching ramifications on player contracts in the NHL. At the time, the deal made him the highest-paid defenceman in the league.
In addition, the deal included a $1.4 million signing bonus.
Several defencemen considered superior players to Stevens, including Ray Bourque and
Chris Chelios, were earning less money, and Capitals defenceman
Kevin Hatcher held out until he received a contract similar to Stevens'.
General managers worried that these players would begin demanding bigger contracts. The players did end up asking for more money, and this escalation was one of the factors in the
1994–95 NHL lockout several seasons later.
After he arrived in St. Louis, Stevens was named captain of the Blues.
He scored 5 goals and added 44 assists for 49 points, good enough for fifth on a team led by
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull (born August 9, 1964) is a Canadians, Canadian–Americans, American former ice hockey player and general manager, and currently an executive vice president of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played f ...
and
Adam Oates. He also made the
Campbell Conference
Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television n ...
All-Star team.
The Blues were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the
Minnesota North Stars.
New Jersey Devils (1991–2004)
Stevens' time with the Blues would only last one season. In the offseason following the
1990–91 NHL season
The 1990–91 NHL season was the 74th season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the best of seven series 4–2 against the Minnesota North Stars to claim their first championship. This ...
, the Blues signed
Brendan Shanahan from the New Jersey Devils,
who, like Stevens the year before, was a restricted free agent, entitling the Devils to compensation. As the Blues still owed first-round picks to the Capitals (now five instead of two, as the 1991 pick given up ended up being the 21st pick), other compensation had to be negotiated, and the Blues and Devils could not agree on what the compensation was; the Blues offered goalie
Curtis Joseph, forward
Rod Brind'Amour, and two draft picks, but the Devils only wanted Stevens.
The case went to arbitration, and arbitrator Edward Houston awarded Stevens to the Devils as compensation on September 3, 1991, with cited news reports the next day first appearing on September 4, 1991.
1991–1995
Initially, Stevens refused to report to the Devils for training camp, and would not report until September 26, 1991, 22 days after the arbitration ruling. The Devils were already worried after captain
Kirk Muller walked out of camp.
Stevens and his wife had made plans to settle in
St. Louis, and he wanted to end his career with the Blues.
In addition, he was concerned about the apparent lack of unity in the organization, citing Muller's walkout as proof.
Several Devils players were upset over the feeling that Stevens was being forced upon the team; some players, including
Ken Daneyko, wanted more money, while other players wanted general manager
Lou Lamoriello
Louis A. Lamoriello (; born October 21, 1942) is an Americans, American professional ice hockey executive who most recently served as the President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League ...
to trade Stevens.
He would eventually report to the Devils three weeks later.
Stevens finished his first season in New Jersey fifth on the team in scoring,
first among defencemen and good enough for a spot on the second All-Star team.
He earned a spot on the All-Star roster for the second consecutive season and would miss only one All-Star game for the remainder of his career as a Devil.
The Devils would be taken out of the playoffs by their
rival, the Rangers, in seven games.
In the off-season, Stevens replaced
Bruce Driver as team captain, a title he held until his retirement.
Although he would miss part of the
following season with a
concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...
,
his 12 goals and 45 assists still led all Devils defencemen in scoring,
The Devils were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs again, losing to the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
in five games.
Stevens stepped up his offensive game in
1993–94. He posted 18 goals and 60 assists, good enough for the team lead and a career-high in points.
He won the
NHL Plus-Minus Award, finishing with a +53; only
Vladimir Konstantinov has led the league with a higher plus/minus rating since Stevens' win.
The Devils made it to the
Conference finals against the Rangers, where they fell in double overtime of Game 7.
Stevens finished as a runner-up to Ray Bourque for the Norris Trophy; the four-vote difference was the closest in Norris Trophy voting history.
After the 1993–94 season, Stevens was a potential free agent. Officials from the St. Louis Blues discussed a return to the team with him, and persuaded him to sign an offer sheet worth $17 million over four years on July 4, 1994.
Five days later, the Devils matched the offer, and thus Stevens remained in New Jersey. However, the Devils later found out Stevens had heard from St. Louis management before the free agency period began, which was illegal under NHL policy. After a five-year investigation, the league fined the Blues $1.5 million and awarded the Devils two of St. Louis' first-round draft picks.
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello felt the punishment was not enough; he wanted five first-round draft picks plus damages. Despite the investigation, there was no evidence Stevens was aware of any wrongdoing.
After the
1994–95 season was delayed due to an
owners' lockout, the Devils were off to a slow start, winning only 9 of their first 24 games.
Despite the reduced schedule, Stevens managed 2 goals and 20 assists, once again leading defencemen in scoring.
The Devils finished fifth in the conference, and advanced to the
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...
, where they swept the heavily favoured
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
to win the franchise's first championship.
Stevens' reputation as a hard hitter was reinforced in Game 2, where he leveled
Vyacheslav Kozlov with a body check that temporarily knocked him out of the game.
It was later determined that Kozlov suffered a concussion.
Stevens then turned to Wings forward and former Washington teammate
Dino Ciccarelli, who was upset about the check, and said, "You're next!"
1996–1999
The Devils expected to defend their Stanley Cup title
the following season. However, they became the first team in 26 years to miss the playoffs following a championship. Stevens voiced the team's disappointment, saying, "After winning the Cup, you expect to definitely be in the playoffs the next year ... Maybe it was just a wakeup call to get back on track."
Stevens started the
1996–97 season with a one-game suspension due to high-sticking
penalty against
Igor Larionov
Igor Nikolayevich Larionov (; born 3 December 1960) is a Russian Coach (ice hockey), ice hockey coach, sports agent and former professional ice hockey player, known as "the Professor". Considered one of the best hockey players of all time, he, a ...
, which drew blood.
However, the team returned to a solid style of play and finished the season atop the
Atlantic Division, though they would be eliminated in the playoffs once again by the Hudson River rival New York Rangers.
Stevens finished second on the team among defencemen in scoring behind
Scott Niedermayer.
Stevens' leadership continued into the
next season. He signed a contract extension with the Devils, stating at the time that he wanted to finish his career with the team.
Stevens was especially important to the Devils' defensive corps, as longtime Devil Ken Daneyko was undergoing rehabilitation for
alcoholism
Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...
.
However, he suffered a
hip pointer injury against the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
and missed several games.
Stevens once again had a good defensive season, although his lack of scoring kept him out of consideration for the Norris Trophy.
The Devils finished as the top seed in the
Eastern Conference but were eliminated in the first round by the
Ottawa Senators.
The Devils made several changes before the
1998–99 season, including the hiring of
Robbie Ftorek as head coach to replace
Jacques Lemaire.
The team continued its focus on defence, as the solid corps of Stevens, Daneyko and Niedermayer finished with plus-minuses of +29, +27 and +26 respectively. Unfortunately, the team was once again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, this time by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
2000–2004
The
1999–2000 Devils focused more on offense, which was reinforced by their 251 goals scored, good enough for second in the league.
With four players scoring over 50 points, including rookie
Scott Gomez's team-leading 51 assists, Stevens' 29 points were only good enough for tenth on the team and third among defencemen, behind Niedermayer and
Brian Rafalski.
Stevens also set an NHL record after becoming the first player to play in 600 games with two teams.
After finishing the season in fourth place in the conference, the Devils swept the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
and defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games.
The Devils then met their bitter rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, in the Eastern Conference finals. After getting behind in the series three games to one, the Devils managed to win games five and six, setting the stage for game seven in Philadelphia.
During the first period, Flyers star centre
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros (; born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Generals prior to being chosen first overall in the 1991 NHL entry d ...
was skating alone through the neutral zone with his head down, when Stevens hit him with a shoulder knocking him unconscious and giving him another concussion.
It was only Lindros' second game since returning from a concussion suffered in March against the Boston Bruins. Stevens had previously taken Flyers centre
Daymond Langkow out with a concussion after Game 2.
The Devils completed the comeback against the Flyers with a 2–1 victory and faced off against the defending Stanley Cup champion
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
in the Stanley Cup Finals. Stevens and Rafalski were tasked with the responsibility of shutting down Dallas' scoring line of
Mike Modano,
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull (born August 9, 1964) is a Canadians, Canadian–Americans, American former ice hockey player and general manager, and currently an executive vice president of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played f ...
and
Joe Nieuwendyk.
Stevens scored the game-winner in the first game of the series ''en route'' to a 7–3 Devils victory; the goal was his third of the playoffs.
The Devils went on to win the Finals in six games after Game 5 went to three overtimes and Game 6 was decided in double overtime. Stevens earned an assist on
Jason Arnott's Cup-winning goal, and he won the
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy () is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general manager, and head coach of the ...
for his leadership role on the team.
During the
2000–01 NHL season, led by
Patrik Eliáš' franchise record of 96 points and
Alexander Mogilny's team-leading 43 goals, the team finished first in the conference.
After defeating
Carolina, Toronto and Pittsburgh in the playoffs, the Devils once again made the Finals, this time against the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
. However, despite being up three games to two, the Devils could not finish off the Avalanche and lost the series in seven games.
Stevens finished third in the voting for the Norris Trophy.
The next season, Stevens finished with the lowest scoring total in his career,
though he did become the youngest player ever to play in 1,500 games.
The Devils fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Hurricanes, who went on to lose to Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals.
Stevens and the Devils once again had success in
2002–03, finishing first in the division.
In addition, he was named as captain of the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time,
and finished the season with the fewest penalty minutes over a full season in his career.
The Devils played well in the playoffs, eliminating Boston, Tampa Bay and Ottawa to face the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the Finals.
Stevens and the Devils had a minor scare in Game 3 of the semi-finals against Tampa Bay when a
slapshot from
Pavel Kubina hit the side of his head and forced him to leave the game. Although there was uncertainty about whether he would return for Game 4, Stevens returned and did not miss a game throughout the remainder of the playoffs.
In Game 2 of the Finals, he set the record for most playoff games by a defenceman, breaking the record by his former coach, Larry Robinson.
Stevens added to his list of playoff hits when he blindside hit Mighty Ducks forward
Paul Kariya to the head in Game 6.
However, Kariya came back shortly thereafter and led the Ducks to a victory, forcing a Game 7.
The Devils kept the Ducks scoreless in Game 7, 3–0, to win their third Stanley Cup in nine years. Stevens' appearance in Game 7 tied
Patrick Roy's record for appearances in Game 7s with 13.
Despite the play of Stevens,
Martin Brodeur,
Jamie Langenbrunner and
Jeff Friesen, the Conn Smythe Trophy went to Ducks goaltender
Jean-Sébastien Giguère. Some speculated that there were too many worthy Devils candidates for the trophy, resulting in a split vote among sportswriters.
The
2003–04 NHL season would be the last for Stevens. Before ending the season, he surpassed former teammate Larry Murphy as the NHL's all-time leader in games played by a defenceman when he appeared in his 1,616th game in November.
He missed several games in January with the flu, and while he was out, he was diagnosed with
post-concussion syndrome (which would eventually coerce him into retirement). Despite missing the second half of the season, he was still voted in as a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
Scott Niedermayer filled in as captain in Stevens' absence, but the loss of Stevens (as well as Daneyko, who had retired before the season) was too much of a loss for the Devils' defence, and they fell to the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs.
In the off-season, Stevens recovered and continued to work out and expected to return to the Devils for the
2004–05 NHL season.
However, the
lockout canceled the entire season and Stevens announced his retirement on September 6, 2005, after 1,635 NHL games, fourth at the time (and now eleventh) all-time in games played, the leader in games played by a defenceman (since passed by
Chris Chelios and
Zdeno Chára), and 14th all-time in career penalty minutes.
Coaching career
New Jersey Devils
On July 17, 2012, the Devils announced Stevens would return to the team as an assistant coach. After two seasons of failing to make the playoffs, Stevens stepped down as assistant coach in September 2014. His role as the assistant coach for the defenseman was filled by another former Devil,
Tommy Albelin. However, three months later, Stevens returned to the Devils along with former assistant coach Adam Oates, relieving
Peter DeBoer of his coaching duties. In a unique move, both Stevens and Oates were named as "interim" co-head coaches, with Stevens focusing on defencemen and Oates on forwards.
Minnesota Wild
On June 7, 2016, the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
hired Stevens as an assistant to head coach
Bruce Boudreau. Less than a year later, on May 30, 2017, Stevens resigned to "spend more time with his family".
International play
In addition to his NHL career, Stevens represented Canada in several international ice hockey competitions. He attended summer camp with
Team Canada before the
1983 World Junior Championships, but because of his commitment to the Capitals, he was unable to join the team.
His first experience with
the senior team was at the
1983 World Ice Hockey Championships, where he won a bronze medal.
The following year he made the Canadian team for the
1984 Canada Cup, but he did not play.
During the
1985 World Ice Hockey Championships, he scored a goal and added two assists as Canada finished with a silver medal.
He played only two games during the
1987 tournament; Canada finished in fourth place.
Two years later, he scored two goals as Canada once again won the silver medal. During the tournament, he suffered a serious cut when Börje Salming's skate sliced his face; he would receive 88 stitches for the wound.
He finally won international gold with Canada during the
1991 Canada Cup.
Five years later, he played in the
1996 World Cup of Hockey, the successor to the
Canada Cup. Finishing with two assists, Stevens won the silver medal; Canada finished in second place after giving up four goals in the final four minutes of the championship game against the
American team.
NHL players were first allowed to participate in the
Olympic ice hockey tournament at the
1998 games. Stevens was selected to join Team Canada but finished without a point for the only time in his international career. Canada would finish fourth after losing their semi-final match-up against the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
in a
shootout.
Stevens would be part of Canada's orientation camp for the
2002 Games, but he would not make the final roster.
Legacy
The longest-serving captain in Devils history, Stevens left a controversial lasting legacy on the NHL. Later on in his career, he mentored the younger Devils defencemen like
Colin White and Brian Rafalski, who was Stevens' defensive linemate.
Long-time teammate Scott Niedermayer said Stevens was "not the most vocal guy around", but he would talk to players when it was necessary.
Stevens was honoured by the Devils by becoming the first player in team history to have his number retired by the team–his number 4 was raised to the rafters on February 3, 2006.
Additionally, the Kitchener Rangers have retired number 3 for Stevens.
Stevens was also remembered as one of the hardest hitters in NHL history. He has been accused by some of deliberately attempting to injure opponents, while others counter that his hits were legal for the era in which he played and only appeared malicious due to their ferocity. In any event, he was among the most feared defensemen of his day. Among the victims of Stevens' body checks were
Slava Kozlov,
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros (; born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Generals prior to being chosen first overall in the 1991 NHL entry d ...
,
Paul Kariya,
Shane Willis and
Ron Francis
Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey sports executive and former player. He currently serves as the president of hockey operations for the Seattle Kraken. He spent most of his career as either a player or ex ...
, the last of whom was inducted with Stevens into the
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...
in 2007. One of the more notable cases was young Shane Willis, who endured a concussion and was knocked out for the rest of the series.
Some players have accused Stevens of playing cheap and intentionally trying to physically injure players permanently. After his check on Shane Willis, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender
Artūrs Irbe said Stevens was "trying to kill
illisor put him out of the playoffs". Stevens responded:
On the other hand, Willis insisted that the hit was clean, and Kozlov said he was a clean player.
He was often credited with changing the momentum of a game not with a goal, but with a hard check,
earning him the nickname "
Captain Crunch". He was named the fifth-most fearsome player in NHL history by the ''
Sporting News
''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
'' in 2001 and was voted the toughest player in the NHL by the voters. Former NHL defencemen
Dion Phaneuf and
François Beauchemin are often compared to Stevens, and Phaneuf says he has idolized Stevens' style of play.
Personal life
Stevens met his wife Donna while he was playing junior hockey with Kitchener.
The couple have three children; Kaitlin, Ryan, and Kara and reside in the town of
Far Hills, New Jersey.
He is a fan of the outdoors, and spent his summers away from hockey at
Lake Catchacoma.
He also enjoys duck hunting in his spare time and is a fan of the
Three Stooges. After the
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, he started a program called Scott's Tots for the families of the victims.
Stevens joined the NHL Network as a commentator in December 2017.
Sexual assault allegation
In May 1990, while playing for the Capitals, Stevens was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl outside a bar, alongside teammates
Dino Ciccarelli,
Geoff Courtnall, and
Neil Sheehy. The court case fell apart, though a spokesperson for the Metropolitan police at the timewith no supporting evidence available for use at trialstated that the police "have sufficient grounds to believe that a criminal offense did occur."
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International play
All-Star Games
Awards
;NHL
See also
*
List of family relations in the NHL
*
List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
*
List of NHL players with 2,000 career penalty minutes
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Scott
1964 births
Living people
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Canadian ice hockey coaches
Canadian ice hockey defencemen
Conn Smythe Trophy winners
Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Ice hockey people from Kitchener, Ontario
Ice hockey players at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Kitchener Rangers players
Minnesota Wild coaches
National Hockey League All-Stars
NHL first-round draft picks
National Hockey League players with retired numbers
New Jersey Devils coaches
New Jersey Devils players
Olympic ice hockey players for Canada
St. Louis Blues players
Stanley Cup champions
Washington Capitals draft picks
Washington Capitals players
20th-century Canadian sportsmen