Scott Stevens

Lore & Background

Stevens started his NHL career with the Washington Capitals, helping the team make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time. After a season with the St. Louis Blues, he was acquired by the New Jersey Devils through arbitration. Personifying the team's defence-first mentality, he captained the Devils to four Stanley Cup Final appearances in nine years, winning three of them. In 2000, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite his team success, he never won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman.

Stevens was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, his first year of eligibility. He retired with the most games played by an NHL defenceman (1,635 games), later passed by Chris Chelios and Zdeno Chara. He was also the youngest player in league history to reach 1,500 games played, achieving that 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.

Reader's Guide

Scott Stevens' significance lies in his role as a cornerstone of the New Jersey Devils' defence-first system, which led to sustained playoff success. His heavy body checking and defensive reliability were crucial to the team's identity, and he captained the Devils to three Stanley Cup championships. Individually, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2000. His durability is underscored by holding the record for most games played by an NHL defenceman at retirement (1,635), and being the youngest to reach 1,500 games. He never had a negative plus/minus in any of his 22 seasons, reflecting consistent defensive excellence. Although he never won the Norris Trophy, his Hall of Fame induction in his first year of eligibility and inclusion in the '100 Greatest NHL Players' list affirm his legacy. His penalty-minute total was the highest among Hall of Fame inductees until 2013.

Did You Know?

• Stevens scored on his first shot in his first NHL game.
• He set a Capitals record for most assists by a defenceman in a game with five assists against the Los Angeles Kings on December 6, 1987.