Scott Stevens

At 60 years old, Scott Stevens has this physical status:

Scott Stevens (born April 1, 1964) is a retired professional ice hockey coach and former player.

Stevens, a defenseman, appeared in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and New Jersey Devils, from 1992 to 2004.

Although offensively strong, his defensive play and his heavy body checking on opponents were crucial to his victory. Stevens began his career with the Capitals, where he helped the team advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time.

He was acquired by the Devils by arbitration after playing a season with the Blues.

He captained the Devils to four Stanley Cup Finals appearances in nine years, winning three of them, emphasizing the team's defense-first mentality.

In 2000, he earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Despite his team's success with the Devils, he never claimed the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenseman.

After a slapshot hit his head and sparked post-concussion syndrome, his career came to an end. In 2007, Stevens was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, his first year of eligibility.

Stevens was the most games played by an NHL defenceman (1,635 games), before Chris Chelios was fired.

Stevens was also the youngest player to play 1,500 games in the league, playing in his 1,500th game at the age of 37 years, 346 days.

In none of his 22 NHL seasons, he did not have a negative plus/minus, and had the most penalty minutes of any player in the Hall of Fame until Chris Chelios was inducted in 2013.

Stevens was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history in 2017.

Early life

Stevens was born in Kitchener, Ontario, to Larry and Mary Stevens, the middle child of three brothers. Larry used to be a newspaper distribution business and was also a semi-professional Canadian football player. All three Stevens brothers played hockey as youth; older brother Geoff will serve as a scout for the New Jersey Devils later in life, while Mike, the youngest, had a brief NHL career with various franchises.

Stevens participated in the 1976 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a junior ice hockey team from Kitchener as a youth. He grew up in Toronto and idolized Leaf defenceman Börje Salming. Stevens played middle linebacker on the school's Canadian football team at Eastwood Collegiate Institute. Markus Koch, one of his teammates, went on to win a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League, beating him. Stevens' true passion, however, was hockey. He and his brothers used to play hockey in the backyard, often destroying the furniture. He eventually earned a spot on the Kitchener Junior B crew but skipped on the opportunity to travel Czechoslovakia with the Kitchener midget team in order to play there. His exploits astounded scouts and he was ranked ninth overall by his hometown Kitchener Rangers in the 1981 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft.

The 1981–82 Kitchener Rangers were a franchise that featured many current NHL players. Dave Shaw and Al MacInnis, Wendell Young, was the team's starting goaltender, and Jeff Larmer, Brian Bellows, and Grant Martin were among the offensive corps's top-scoring line on the team. Stevens and Shaw were integral to the Rangers' defense, playing in every game of the season leading up to the team's Memorial Cup triumph. In addition,, both players competed in the OHL All-Star Game. "He's come a long way this year," Rangers head coach Joe Crozier said of Stevens. He's physically fit, tough, moves the puck well, and has a keen sense of hockey." In an OHL poll, Stevens led all rookie defencemen in scoring and was named the second-best defensive player and second-best body-checker.

Personal life

When Stevens was playing junior hockey with Kitchener, he met Donna. Kaitlin, Ryan, and Kara are three children of the couple, who live in Far Hills, New Jersey. He is a fan of the outdoors, and he spent his summers away from hockey at Lake Catchacoma. He also enjoys duck hunting in his spare time, and is a big fan of the Three Stooges. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, he began Scott's Tots, which was a service for the victims's families. In December 2017, Stevens joined the NHL Network as a commentator.

Stevens was accused of participating in the murder of a 17-year-old girl outside a bar in May 1990, alongside colleagues Dino Ciccarelli, Geoff Courtnall, and Neil Sheehy. The court hearing fell apart, although a Metropolitan police spokesperson at the time said that the police "have ample reason to suspect that a criminal charge was committed."

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Playing career

The Washington Capitals ranked Stevens in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, placing him fifth overall. Stevens was drafted in the team at age 18 but never played in the minor leagues due to injuries suffered by other players during training camp. In his first NHL game, he made a quick move by scoring on his first shot. In his debut season and made the All-Rookie Team, he scored 25 points and made the All-Rookie Team. In addition, he led all rookie defensemen in penalty minutes. In the voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's Rookie of the Year, he came in third. He was also named Rookie of the Year by the Capitals. Stevens' debut with the Capitals came during the team's first playoff appearance, but the New York Islanders had to pull them out in the first round.

He'll almost double his point total from last year's aspirations, with 13 goals and 32 assists for 45 points. Larry Murphy, only teammate of the defensemen, had the most points among defensemen. His 201 penalty minutes will lead the team; he'll eventually lead the Capitals in the category five times during his time with the team; and he'll eventually lead the Capitals in the category; and then set the team record for the most career penalty minutes by a defenceman. Stevens' personal success did not translate to the Capitals, who were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Islanders. Stevens learned from veterans Rod Langway and defensive linemate Brian Engblom on the finer aspects of playing defense during this time. Bryan Murray helped calm the tenacious young Stevens, who would learn to fight less and play harder. Stevens recalled his time with the Capitals years ago, including: '"

Stevens' 1984-85 season would be a breakthrough year for him. 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 goals. His result was good enough to guarantee him a spot in the All-Star Game. For the first time, Stevens will lead all Capitals defensemen in scoring, leading the year with 21 goals and 44 assists and winning the team's Fan Favorite Award. Murray considered moving him to wing due to his offensive abilities and size. In the Patrick Division, the Capitals came in second second, but they were out of the playoffs early this season, this time thanks to the Islanders. The Capitals acquired Dwight Schofield in the waiver draft before the next season. Schofield was known for his hector abilities, and his aim was to keep other teams' hitters away from Stevens and Langway, who were too valuable to be penalized to forfeit penalties. Stevens had 165 penalty minutes, the lowest level in his career to that point. He has also played in 15 goals and 38 assists this season. The Capitals' playoff woes continued, however; they lost to the New York Rangers in the division finals after defeating the Islanders in the first round.

Stevens returned to his old ways in 1986-87 as he spent a career-high 283 minutes in the penalty box. Total number of penalty minutes in a season was a Capitals record (since broken). Despite missing three games due to a fractured right index finger suffered against the Islanders, Stevens would finish third on the team in scoring with 61 points; his 51 assists were also good enough to place second on the Capitals. The Caps were once more defeated by the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs.

With five assists against the Los Angeles Kings on December 6, 1987, Stevens set Capitals records for most assists and most points by a defenseman in a game. He will score at least one assist in eight straight games later this season, establishing another team record for defensemen. With 12 goals and 60 assists for 72 points, he came in second place on the team in scoring, the highest among all Capitals blueliners. In the voting for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, he came in second, behind Boston Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque. In addition, he was selected as a member of the NHL first team All-Star. Stevens will miss the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers due to a shoulder injury, which was not expected by the Capitals. He made it back in time for the Capitals' divisional finals against his future squad, the New Jersey Devils. In Game 6 of the series, the Capitals lost four games to three, tying a team record by registering four assists.

In the 1988–89 season, the Capitals won the Patrick Division, with Stevens' 68 points (including a team-leading 61 assists) leading Caps defencemen. Stevens had 225 penalty minutes, the first time he'd more than 200 minutes in his career. He was selected to his second All-Star game and aided in the Wales Conference's loss to the Campbell Conference, 9-5. However, the Caps were unable to make the playoffs out of the regular season, after losing in the first round to the Flyers. Stevens had mixed fortunes in 1989-1990. He suffered personally, suffering from a broken foot that required him to miss nearly two months. In addition,, he was suspended for three games for gouging Chicago Blackhawks player Dave Manson in the eye during a match. Stevens said he never struck Manson's eye, but that during the battle, Stevens struck Stevens' helmet. Stevens' lowest point total since his rookie year was down; he finished with just 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points, but it was still second among Capitals defencemen. Despite his lower numbers, the Capitals made their fastest inroads in the playoffs ever. For the first time in team history, the Capitals were in the conference finals after defeating the Devils and Rangers in the first round and the Rangers in the second round.

Stevens finished with 98 goals and 429 points in 601 games over eight seasons with the Capitals. He also set record (all since broken) for penalty minutes (1,630), points by a defenceman (331), playoff games played (67), playoff assists (44) and playoff goals by a defenceman (91).

Stevens, who spent eight years in Washington, believed it was time to move forward. The St. Louis Blues sued him for four years worth $5.145 million. Since he was a restricted free agent, Washington had the option to match the offer sheet. However, they subsequently received two first-round draft picks over $100,000 in cash, transforming 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 be Sergei Gonchar and Brendan Witt).

Stevens' signing had far-reaching consequences on player contracts in the NHL. At the time, the contract made him the best-paid defenseman in the league. In addition, the contract came with a $1.4 million signing bonus. Several defencemen thought to be superior to Stevens, including Ray Bourque and Chris Chelios, were earning less money, and Capitals defenceman Kevin Hatcher waited until he was given a deal similar to Stevens'. General managers are concerned that these players would begin demanding bigger contracts. The players did end up asking for more money, and this escalation was one of the reasons behind the 1994–95 NHL lockout several seasons later.

Stevens was voted captain of the Blues following his arrival in St. Louis. He scored 5 goals and 44 assists for 49 points, putting him in fifth place on a team led by Brett Hull and Adam Oates. He also served on the Campbell Conference All-Star team. The Minnesota North Stars disqualified the Blues in the second round of the playoffs.

Stevens' time with the Blues would only last one season. The Blues signed Brendan Shanahan from the New Jersey Devils, who, like Stevens, was a restricted free agent with no guarantee, entitling the Devils to compensation in the offseason following the 1990-1991 NHL season. As the Blues owed first-round picks to the Capitals (now five rather than two, as the 1991 pick that was not the 21st pick) was not clear on what the compensation was, the Devils and Blues were still waiting for Stevens; the Blues now have goalie Curtis Joseph, forward Rod Brind'Amour, and two draft picks declined; the Devils only wanted Stevens; the Blues released goalie Curtis Joseph, forward Rod Brind'Amour The case was referred to arbitration, and arbitrator Edward Houston awarded Stevens to the Devils as compensation on September 3, 1991, as seen in the next day.

Stevens did not arrive to the Devils for training camp until September 26, 1991, 22 days after the arbitration decision was announced. After captain Kirk Muller walked out of camp, the Devils were already worried. Stevens and his wife had intended to settle in St. Louis, but he wanted to continue his playing with the Blues. In addition,, he was worried about the apparent absence of unity in the company, quoting Muller's walkout as proof. Many players were furious over the fact that Stevens was coerced into the team, while other players, including Ken Daneyko, wanted more money; others, including Drew Linco, wanted to trade Stevens; and others, including David Beckham, were furious over the fact that Stevens was being compelled on the team; some players, including Ken Daneyko, wanted more money; and others, including Mike Jackson, were furious; and some players, including Doug Baldwin, were furi He would eventually report to the Devils three weeks later.

Stevens spent his first season on the team as the highest scorers on record, first among defensemen, and enough to earn a spot on the second All-Star team. For the remainder of his career as a Devil, he earned a spot on the All-Star roster for the second straight season, but he will miss just one All-Star game for the remainder of his career. In seven games, the Devils will be knocked out of the playoffs by their arch rival, the Rangers. Stevens recalled Bruce Driver as team captain in the offseason, a position he occupied until his retirement.

Despite the fact that he will miss part of the following season due to a concussion, his 12 goals and 45 assists led all Devils defensemen in scoring, the Devils were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs again, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games. Stevens turned up his offensive game from 1993-94. He scored 18 goals and 60 assists, good enough for the team's lead and a career high in points. He received the NHL Plus-Minus Award, earning a +53; only Vladimir Konstantinov has led the league with a higher plus/minus rating since Stevens' victory. The Devils made it all the way to the Conference Finals against the Rangers, where they lost in double overtime of Game 7. Stevens came in second place for the Norris Trophy behind Ray Bourque; the four-vote difference was the closest in Norris Trophy voting history.

Stevens was a potential free agent from 1993 to 1994. On July 4, 1994, the St. Louis Blues officials discussed a return to the team with him, as well as a player who refused to sign an offer sheet worth $17 million over four years. The Devils matched the description five days later, and Stevens stayed in New Jersey. However, the Devils later discovered out Stevens had heard from St. Louis police before the free agency period began, which was illegal under NHL rules. The league fined the Blues $1.5 million and gave the Devils two of St. Louis' first-round draft picks after a five-year probe. Lou Lamoriello, the Devils' general manager, felt that the punishment was not appropriate; he wanted five first-round draft picks more damages. Despite the probe, Stevens was not aware of any wrongdoing.

The Devils were off to a slow start in 1994-95, winning only 9 of their first 24 games. Despite the reduced schedule, Stevens scored 2 goals and 20 assists, once more leading defensemen in scoring. The Devils finished fifth in the conference and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the highly favored Detroit Red Wings to win the franchise's first championship. Stevens' reputation as a hard hitter was bolstered in Game 2, where he smacked Vyacheslav Kozlov with a body check that briefly pulled him out of the game. Later, it was discovered that Kozlov had suffered a concussion. Stevens then referred to former Washington teammate Dino Ciccarelli, who was furious about the check, and said, "You're next!"

The Devils are expected to defend their Stanley Cup crown the following season. However, they were the first team in 26 years to miss the playoffs after a championship. "You can imagine yourself in the playoffs next year after winning the Cup, so maybe it was just a wake up call to get back to track." Stevens said of the team's defeat.

Stevens started the 1996-97 season with a one-game suspension after a high-sticking foul against Igor Larionov, which drew blood. The team returned to a solid style of play and finished the season atop the Atlantic Division, but the Hudson River rival New York Rangers will prevent them from qualifying in the playoffs once more. Stevens came in second second on the team among defensemen in scoring behind Scott Niedermayer.

Stevens' reign lasted well into the new season. He signed a contract extension with the Devils, claiming at the time that he wanted to continue his work with the team. As longtime Devil Ken Daneyko was recovering from alcoholism, Stevens was particularly important to the Devils' defensive corps. However, he sustained a hip injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning and missed several games due to his injury. Stevens had a good defensive season, but he was ruled out of consideration for the Norris Trophy due to his inability to score. The Devils made the top seed in the Eastern Conference but the Ottawa Senators knocked them out in the first round.

Several changes were made by the Devils prior to the 1998-99 season, including the addition of Robbie Ftorek as head coach to replace Jacques Lemaire. With plus-minuses of +29, +27, and +26 respectively, the team maintained its focus on defense. The team was unfortunately kicked out of the first round of the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins, this time by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 1999–2000 Devils concentrated more on offense, which was bolstered by their 251 goals scored, good enough for second place in the league. Stevens' 29 points, which included rookie Scott Gomez's team-leading 51 assists, was only good enough for tenth on the team and third among defensemen, behind Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski. Stevens also set an NHL record by becoming the first player to play in 600 games with two clubs. The Devils defeated the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games after finishing in fourth place in the conference this season.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Devils defeated their bitter rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils won games five and six, setting the tone for game seven in Philadelphia after getting caught up in a series of three games to one. Eric Lindros, the Flyers' center, was skating alone through the neutral zone with his head down when Stevens struck him with a shoulder, knocking him unconscious and giving him another concussion. It was Lindros' second game since recovering from a concussion against the Boston Bruins in March. After Game 2, Stevens had previously dismissed Flyers center Daymond Langkow with a concussion.

With a 2–1 win over the Flyers, the Devils brought the game's comeback to an end, and they will face the defending Stanley Cup champions in the Stanley Cup Finals. Stevens and Rafalski were given the opportunity to close down Dallas' scoring line of Mike Modano, Brett Hull, and Joe Nieuwendyk. Stevens was the game-winner in his first game of the season, leading to a 7–3 victory; the goal was his third game in the playoffs. After Game 5 went to three overtimes and Game 6 was determined in double overtime, the Devils went on to win in six games in six games. Stevens was an assist on Jason Arnott's Cup-winning win and was named Conn Smythe Trophy for his leadership roles on the team.

During the 2000–01 NHL season, the team finished first in the league, led by Patrik Eliá's franchise record of 96 points and Alexander Mogilny's team-leading 43 goals. The Devils advanced to the Finals after defeating Carolina, Toronto, and Pittsburgh in the playoffs, this time against the Colorado Avalanche. Despite being up three games to two, the Devils were unable to finish off the Avalanche and lost the series in seven games. In the Norris Trophy voting, Stevens came in third place.

Stevens finished with his lowest scoring total in his career in the last season, but he did finish as the youngest player to play in 1,500 games. The Devils lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Hurricanes, who then went on to lose to Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals.

Stevens and the Devils had a blast in 2002–03, finishing first in the division. In addition,, he was named captain of the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the first time and ended the season with the fewest penalty minutes over a full season. The Devils fared well in the playoffs, defeating Boston, Tampa Bay, and Ottawa to face the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the Finals. In Game 3 of the semi-finals against Tampa Bay, Stevens and the Devils had a minor scare when Pavel Kubina hit the side of his head and led him to leave the game. Despite being uncertain whether he would return for Game 4 or not, Stevens was able to return and did not miss a game throughout the remainder of the playoffs. In Game 2 of the Finals, he set the most playoff games by a defenceman, smashing the record set by his former coach, Larry Robinson. In Game 6, Stevens added to his list of playoff hits when he blindsided Mighty Ducks forward Paul Kariya to the head. However, Kariya came back shortly later and led the Ducks to a victory, prompting a Game 7. The Ducks won their third Stanley Cup in nine years in Game 7, 3–0. Stevens' appearance in Game 7 tied Patrick Roy's record for appearances in Game 7s with 13. Despite Stevens' appearances, Martin Brodeur, Jamie Langenbrunner, and Jeff Friesen, the Conn Smythe Trophy was awarded to Ducks goaltender Jean-Sébastien Gilesen. Some speculated that there were too many worthy Devils candidates for the award, resulting in a split vote among sportswriters.

Stevens' retirement from 2003–04 NHL seasons will be his last. When he appeared in his 1,616th game in November, he surpassed former teammate Larry Murphy as the NHL's all-time leader in games played by a defenceman. He missed several games in January with the flu, and although he was out, he was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome (which would eventually force him to retire). Despite missing the second half of the season, he was still voted into the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a starter. In Stevens' absence, Scott Niedermayer was recalled as captain, but the Devils' defense was too late, as well as Daneyko, who had resigned before the season, and they lost to the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. Stevens recovered and continued to work out in the offseason, and the Devils are expected to return to the Devils for the 2004–05 NHL season. However, the lockout ended the season and Stevens retired on September 6, 2005, the highest number in games played by a defenseman (since passed by Chris Chelios), and his fourth in career penalty minutes.

Coaching career

Stevens will return to the team as an assistant coach on July 17, 2012. Stevens resigned as assistant coach in September 2014 after two seasons of struggling to qualify for the playoffs. Tommy Albelin, another former Devil, had to fill his position as the assistant coach for defenseman. Stevens returned to the Devils three months later, as well as former assistant coach Adam Oates, relying on Peter DeBoer's coaching duties. Both Stevens and Oates were listed as "interim" co-head coaches, with Stevens focusing on defencemen and Oates on forwards in a strange twist, with Stevens focusing on forwards and Oates focusing on forwards.

Stevens was hired as an assistant to head coach Bruce Boudreau on June 7, 2016. Stevens resigned on May 30, 2017, less than a year after, having to "spend more time with his family."

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