Scott Stevens
Ron Stevens | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1, 1964 Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Ice hockey player, coach |
| Years active | 1982–2004 |
| Known for | NHL defenseman, captain of New Jersey Devils (1992–2004), three-time Stanley Cup champion, Conn Smythe Trophy winner (2000) |
Ronald Scott Stevens (born April 1, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current coach. Throughout his 22-season NHL career as a defenseman, Stevens represented the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and New Jersey Devils, serving as captain of the Devils from 1992 until 2004. Renowned for his defensive prowess and physical style of play, he skillfully blended offensive contributions with a defense-oriented mindset.
Stevens launched his NHL journey with the Capitals, playing a key role in their inaugural Stanley Cup playoff appearance. After spending one season with the Blues, he joined the Devils through arbitration. As the leader of New Jersey's defense-focused system, he captained the team to four Stanley Cup Finals over nine seasons, securing three championships. His outstanding playoff performance in 2000 earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player during the postseason. Despite these achievements, he never captured the James Norris Memorial Trophy awarded to the league's top defenseman.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007 during his first year of eligibility, Stevens retired holding the NHL record for most games played by a defenseman (1,635), a mark later surpassed by Chris Chelios and Zdeno Chara. At 37 years and 346 days old, he was the youngest player to reach 1,500 games played. Remarkably, Stevens never finished a season with a negative plus/minus rating and maintained the highest penalty minutes total among Hall of Famers until 2013. In 2017, he was honored as one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
Early life
Born in Kitchener, Ontario to Larry and Mary Stevens, Ron was the middle child among three brothers. Larry Stevens operated a paper products business and had experience as a semi-professional Canadian football athlete. All three siblings played hockey; older brother Geoff became a scout for the New Jersey Devils, while younger brother Mike briefly competed in the NHL.
During his youth, Stevens participated in the 1976 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament representing a Kitchener minor hockey team. Growing up near Toronto, he supported the Toronto Maple Leafs and looked up to Leafs defenseman Börje Salming. While attending Eastwood Collegiate Institute, he played middle linebacker on the football team alongside future Super Bowl champion Markus Koch. Nevertheless, hockey remained his primary focus; he secured a position on Kitchener’s Junior B squad and opted to play there rather than join a midget team tour in Czechoslovakia. His strong performances caught the attention of scouts, leading to his selection as ninth overall by his hometown Kitchener Rangers in the 1981 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft.
The 1981–82 Kitchener Rangers roster featured several players who would advance to the NHL including Dave Shaw, Al MacInnis, and netminder Wendell Young. The team's leading offensive line comprised Jeff Larmer, Brian Bellows, and Grant Martin. Stevens and Shaw formed the core of the defensive unit, appearing in every game as they helped secure the team's Memorial Cup championship. Both defensemen were selected for the OHL All-Star Game. Rangers coach Joe Crozier commended Stevens for his physical strength, resilience, puck control, and hockey intelligence. Leading all rookie defensemen in scoring, Stevens was voted second-best defensive defender and body-checker by OHL coaches.
Washington Capitals (1982–1990)
Selected fifth overall in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, Stevens capitalized on injuries during training camp to secure a spot on the roster at just 18 years old, bypassing time in the minor leagues. He scored on his very first NHL shot, accumulated 25 points in his rookie campaign, earned a place on the All-Rookie Team, and finished third in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy. His debut season coincided with Washington's inaugural playoff berth, although they were eliminated in the opening round by the New York Islanders.
In the following season, Stevens nearly doubled his point total to 45, led the team with 201 penalty minutes, and established a franchise record for penalty minutes by a defenceman. Despite these individual achievements, the Capitals once again fell to the Islanders in the postseason. Under head coach Bryan Murray, Stevens honed his defensive play and curtailed penalties, benefiting from mentorship by veterans such as Rod Langway.
The 1984–85 campaign was a breakout year for Stevens: he set a franchise benchmark for power play goals by a defenceman with 16, tied for most goals by a blueliner at 21, and earned selection to the All-Star Game. Leading Capitals defencemen with 65 points, he also received the team's Fan Favorite Award. Although Washington finished second in their division, they were again eliminated early by the Islanders. To shield key players like Stevens from heavy physical play, the Capitals acquired enforcer Dwight Schofield prior to the next season, which helped reduce Stevens' penalty minutes to 165 while he contributed 53 points.
During the 1986–87 season, Stevens set a then-team record with 283 penalty minutes despite missing three games due to injury. He ranked third on Washington with 61 points but faced another first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the Islanders.
In the 1987–88 season, Stevens broke franchise records for assists and points by a defenceman in a single game and maintained an assist streak over eight consecutive contests. He finished second in team scoring with 72 points and was runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, earning NHL first team All-Star recognition. A shoulder injury sidelined him during playoffs where Washington lost in seven games to his future club, the New Jersey Devils.
The Capitals captured their division title in 1988–89, with Stevens leading all Washington defencemen in scoring (68 points) and posting 225 penalty minutes—the last time he surpassed 200 minutes in a season. He made his second All-Star appearance but experienced another early playoff exit. The 1989–90 season was marred by injuries and a suspension; Stevens tallied 40 points but played an integral role as Washington advanced to their first conference finals before being swept by the Bruins.
Across eight seasons with Washington, Stevens compiled totals of 98 goals and 429 points over 601 games, setting numerous franchise records for defencemen—including penalty minutes (1,630), games played (601), points (429), goals (98), assists (331), and playoff contributions—all of which have since been broken.
St. Louis Blues (1990–1991)
After spending eight seasons with Washington, Stevens signed a four-year contract worth $5.145 million with the St. Louis Blues. As a restricted free agent, the Capitals chose not to match the offer sheet, resulting in compensation of two first-round draft picks plus $100,000. This compensation could have increased to five first-round picks if Washington failed to secure a top-seven selection in 1991 or 1992; two of these picks were used to select Sergei Gonchar and Brendan Witt.
Stevens' new contract established a benchmark as the highest salary ever awarded to an NHL defenceman at that time, including a $1.4 million signing bonus. This deal prompted salary demands from other elite defencemen such as Ray Bourque and Chris Chelios, which contributed to rising player salaries and played a role in the 1994–95 NHL lockout.
Upon joining the Blues, Stevens was named team captain. He recorded 5 goals and 44 assists, totaling 49 points, placing him fifth in team scoring behind leaders like Brett Hull and Adam Oates. He earned selection to the Campbell Conference All-Star squad. The Blues’ playoff run ended in the second round against the Minnesota North Stars.
New Jersey Devils (1991–2004)
Stevens’ stint with St. Louis lasted just one season. After the 1990–91 campaign, the Blues acquired restricted free agent Brendan Shanahan from the New Jersey Devils, which triggered compensation negotiations. Because of prior commitments to the Capitals, St. Louis initially offered goalie Curtis Joseph, forward Rod Brind'Amour, and draft picks as compensation; however, New Jersey demanded Stevens be included.
The disagreement proceeded to arbitration, where arbitrator Edward Houston ruled on September 3, 1991, that Stevens would join the Devils.
1991–1995
At first, Stevens declined to report to New Jersey’s training camp, arriving only on September 26, 1991—22 days after the arbitration decision. The Devils were already unsettled following captain Kirk Muller’s departure from camp. Stevens and his wife intended to settle in St. Louis and had hoped to conclude his career there. He also cited organizational discord within New Jersey, referencing Muller’s exit. Some Devils players resented having Stevens imposed on their roster; players including Ken Daneyko sought increased salaries, while others urged GM Lou Lamoriello to trade Stevens. Ultimately, Stevens joined the team three weeks later.
During his initial season with New Jersey, Stevens ranked fifth overall in team points and led all defencemen in scoring. He earned a spot on the second All-Star team and was selected for the All-Star game for a second straight year. The Devils were eliminated in a seven-game playoff series by their rivals, the Rangers. In the off-season, Stevens succeeded Bruce Driver as team captain—a role he maintained until retirement.
Although he missed part of the 1992–93 season due to a concussion, Stevens led Devils defencemen with 12 goals and 45 assists. The team was ousted in five games by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 1993–94, Stevens achieved career-best numbers with 18 goals and 60 assists while winning the NHL Plus-Minus Award with an impressive +53 rating—among the highest recorded since. The Devils advanced to the Conference finals, where they lost in double overtime of Game 7 against the Rangers. Stevens narrowly missed claiming the Norris Trophy, finishing second by just four votes—the closest margin ever recorded.
Following that season, Stevens approached unrestricted free agency. On July 4, 1994, St. Louis extended an offer worth $17 million over four years; five days later, New Jersey matched this offer to retain him. Subsequently, St. Louis was fined $1.5 million and lost two first-round draft picks due to tampering violations for contacting Stevens before free agency officially began. Although Devils GM Lamoriello sought stricter sanctions, no wrongdoing was found involving Stevens himself.
After the conclusion of the lockout, New Jersey began sluggishly but Stevens again led all team defencemen in scoring with 2 goals and 20 assists during a shortened schedule. The Devils finished fifth in their conference but advanced all the way to the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals, where they swept heavily favored Detroit Red Wings to capture their first championship title. Stevens further solidified his reputation as a physical player by delivering a blindside hit that concussed Vyacheslav Kozlov in Game 2 and then warned Red Wings forward and former teammate Dino Ciccarelli, saying, "You're next!"
1996–1999
After securing the Stanley Cup in the 1995–96 season, the Devils became the first team in over two decades to fail to qualify for the playoffs as reigning champions. Team captain Scott Stevens voiced his dissatisfaction, describing the outcome as a crucial moment to regain focus.
Stevens started the 1996–97 campaign serving a one-game suspension due to a high-sticking incident but still contributed to the Devils clinching first place in the Atlantic Division. Despite a strong regular season, their playoff run ended prematurely with a loss to the New York Rangers. Among Devils defensemen, Stevens was second in scoring, trailing only Scott Niedermayer.
In 1997–98, Stevens committed his future to New Jersey by signing a contract extension. He played a vital defensive role during Ken Daneyko’s injury recovery but missed time himself because of a hip ailment. The Devils secured the Eastern Conference’s top seed but were defeated in the opening playoff round by Ottawa.
Prior to the 1998–99 season, New Jersey appointed Robbie Ftorek as head coach, succeeding Jacques Lemaire. Maintaining their defensive emphasis, Stevens, Daneyko, and Niedermayer posted impressive plus-minus figures (+29, +27, +26). Nevertheless, the team was again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Pittsburgh.
2000–2004
The Devils shifted focus toward offense in 1999–2000, tallying 251 goals—the second-highest total league-wide. Four players surpassed 50 points, with rookie Scott Gomez leading assists at 51. Stevens contributed 29 points, ranking tenth overall on the team and third among defensemen behind Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski. Additionally, he set an NHL milestone by becoming the first player to reach 600 games played with two different franchises. The Devils finished fourth in their conference and swept Florida before defeating Toronto in six games.
Facing their rivals Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference finals, New Jersey overcame a 3-1 series deficit by winning Games 5 and 6. In Game 7, Stevens delivered a decisive shoulder check that rendered Flyers star Eric Lindros unconscious, helping secure a 2–1 victory. Earlier in the series, Stevens had also caused a concussion to Flyers center Daymond Langkow.
In the Stanley Cup Finals against defending champions Dallas Stars, Stevens and Rafalski were charged with containing elite scorers Mike Modano, Brett Hull, and Joe Nieuwendyk. Stevens scored the decisive goal in Game 1 en route to a dominant 7–3 win. The Devils captured the championship in six games after two overtime victories. Stevens assisted on Jason Arnott's Cup-winning goal and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for his leadership throughout the playoffs.
During the 2000–01 season, propelled by Patrik Eliáš’s franchise-record 96 points and Alexander Mogilny’s team-leading 43 goals, New Jersey finished atop their conference. They advanced past Carolina, Toronto, and Pittsburgh before falling to Colorado in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final series despite holding a three-games-to-two lead. Stevens placed third in Norris Trophy voting that year.
The 2001–02 season saw Stevens post his lowest scoring output while becoming the youngest player ever to reach 1,500 NHL games. The Devils were eliminated in the opening playoff round by Carolina.
In 2002–03, Stevens captained New Jersey to a division title and led the Eastern Conference All-Star squad for the first time. The team progressed through Boston, Tampa Bay, and Ottawa en route to facing Anaheim in the Finals. Despite sustaining a head injury from Pavel Kubina’s slapshot during the semifinals, Stevens returned swiftly and set a record for most career playoff games played by a defenseman. His physicality was highlighted by a notable blindside hit on Paul Kariya during Game 6 of the Finals. The Devils secured their third Stanley Cup within nine years with a commanding Game 7 win. Although Stevens had an influential role throughout the postseason, Conn Smythe honors went to Ducks goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère amid speculation that votes among Devils players were divided.
The 2003–04 season marked Stevens’ final year on ice. He surpassed Larry Murphy’s record for most games played by an NHL defenseman by appearing in his 1,616th game. Despite missing multiple contests due to flu and being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome—which eventually led to his retirement—he was still selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star starter. During his absence, Scott Niedermayer assumed captaincy duties. Without Stevens and recently retired defenseman Ken Daneyko, the Devils were eliminated by Philadelphia in the first playoff round.
Though Stevens had intended to return for the canceled 2004–05 season, he officially retired on September 6, 2005. Concluding his career with 1,635 NHL appearances—then ranking fourth all-time and currently eleventh—he held records for most games played by a defenseman (later surpassed) and stood fourteenth all-time in penalty minutes.
New Jersey Devils
On July 17, 2012, the Devils revealed that Stevens would rejoin their coaching staff as an assistant coach. Following two consecutive seasons without postseason appearances, he resigned in September 2014. His position was subsequently taken over by former Devil Tommy Albelin. Three months afterward, Stevens and Adam Oates returned as "interim" co-head coaches, with Stevens concentrating on the defensemen and Oates overseeing the forwards, succeeding Peter DeBoer.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild appointed Stevens as an assistant to head coach Bruce Boudreau on June 7, 2016. Less than a year later, on May 30, 2017, Stevens stepped down from his role to dedicate more time to his family.
International play
Stevens donned the Canadian jersey in multiple international tournaments. He secured a bronze medal at the 1983 World Ice Hockey Championships and earned silver medals in both the 1985 and 1989 World Championships, contributing goals and assists in these events. His achievements include winning gold at the 1991 Canada Cup and obtaining silver at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, where he added two assists. Stevens participated in the first NHL-player Olympic tournament in 1998, where Canada placed fourth. Although he attended Canada's orientation camp for the 2002 Winter Olympics, he did not make the final team roster.
Legacy
As the Devils' longest-tenured captain, Stevens left a complex mark on the NHL. Later in his playing days, he served as a mentor to emerging defensemen such as Colin White and Brian Rafalski. Scott Niedermayer remarked that while Stevens was not particularly outspoken, he communicated effectively when needed. Stevens became the first player from the Devils to have his jersey number retired; his number 4 banner was hoisted on February 3, 2006. Additionally, his number 3 was retired by the Kitchener Rangers.
Renowned as one of the most formidable hitters in NHL history, Stevens was both respected and contentious. Some critics accused him of intentionally injuring opponents, whereas others contend that his physical style was within the legal boundaries of his era prior to rule modifications designed to enhance player safety. Among those famously impacted by his hits were Slava Kozlov, Eric Lindros, Paul Kariya, Shane Willis, and Ron Francis—who was inducted alongside Stevens into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Following Stevens’ hit on Shane Willis, Carolina goalie Artūrs Irbe alleged that Stevens aimed to "kill [Willis] or take him out of playoff contention." Stevens defended his approach by emphasizing that physicality is integral to hockey and no player receives special treatment. Willis himself maintained that the hit was clean.
Stevens often gained recognition for altering game momentum through punishing checks rather than goal-scoring efforts, earning him the nickname "Captain Crunch." In 2001, Sporting News ranked him as the fifth-most intimidating NHL player and named him the league's toughest competitor. Former NHL defensemen Dion Phaneuf and François Beauchemin have been likened to Stevens, with Phaneuf citing him as a role model.
Personal life
During his junior hockey career in Kitchener, Stevens met his future wife, Donna. Together, they have three children named Kaitlin, Ryan, and Kara, and the family lives in Far Hills, New Jersey. An avid lover of the outdoors, Stevens spends his summers at Lake Catchacoma and partakes in duck hunting. Following the events of the September 11, 2001 attacks, he established Scott's Tots to provide assistance to the families affected. In December 2017, Stevens began working as a commentator for the NHL Network.
Sexual assault allegation
In May 1990, while a member of the Capitals, Stevens faced accusations of raping a 17-year-old girl along with teammates Dino Ciccarelli, Geoff Courtnall, and Neil Sheehy. Although the case was ultimately dismissed, law enforcement officials indicated they had adequate evidence to suspect that a criminal act had taken place.
Regular season and playoffs
(1985–86)| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–81 | Kitchener Ranger B's | MWJHL | 39 | 7 | 33 | 40 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–81 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–82 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 68 | 6 | 36 | 42 | 158 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–83 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 77 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 195 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–84 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 78 | 13 | 32 | 45 | 201 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–85 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 80 | 21 | 44 | 65 | 221 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NHL |73 |15 |38 |53 |165 |9 |3 |8 |11 |12 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | NHL |77 |10 |51 |61 |283 |7 |0 |5 |5 |19 |- | NHL |80 |12 |60 |72 |184 |13 |1 |11 |12 |46 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | NHL |80 |7 |61 |68 |225 |6 |1 |4 |5 |11 |- | NHL |56 |11 |29 |40 |154 |15 |2 |7 |9 |25 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
(1990–91) St. Louis Blues NHL 78 5 44 49 150 13 0 3 3 36 |- (1991–92) New Jersey Devils NHL681742591247 2 13 29 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (1992–93) New Jersey Devils NHL811245571205 2 4 10 |- (1993–94) New Jersey Devils NHL8318607811220 2 9 11 42 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (1994–95) New Jersey Devils NHL48 2 20 22 56 20 1 7 8 24 |- (1995–96) New Jersey Devils NHL82 5 23 28 100 — — — — — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (1996–97) New Jersey Devils NHL79 5 19 24 70 10 0 4 4 2 |- (1997–98) New Jersey Devils NHL80 4 22 26 80 6 1 0 1 8 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (1998–99) New Jersey Devils NHL75 5 22 27 64 7 2 1 3 10 |- (1999–2000) New Jersey Devils NHL78821291032338116 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2000–01) New Jersey Devils NHL8192231712517837 |- (2001–02) New Jersey Devils NHL82116174460004 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2002–03) New Jersey Devils NHL8141620412436914 |- (2003–04) New Jersey Devils NHL38391222 — — — — — |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" |
NHL totals !1,635 !196 !712 !908 !2,785 !233 !26 !92 !118 !378 |
} International Competition
All-Star Appearances
Awards
See also
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