Devils play follow the leader If you looked at Scott Stevens' career only through the lens of statistics, you would come away dutifully impressed. Now entering his 22nd NHL season, Stevens has done just about everything possible. He has captained three New Jersey Devils teams to the Stanley Cup, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason's most valuable player, made 13 appearances in the NHL All-Star Game, appeared in more than 1,500 regular-season games and more than 200 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and, well, you get the idea. But there is far more to Stevens' game than mere statistics. Stevens' impact as a team leader moved veteran Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko to tears when he announced his retirement this summer. Stevens, who spends a good portion of his summers at a cottage in Ontario, made sure he was in the front row at Daneyko's retirement announcement, a decision greatly appreciated by his longtime teammate. It is the kind of bond Stevens has forged with so many players over the course of his career.
Now getting Stevens to talk about his leadership role with the Devils is a whole other problem. In general, Stevens is the strong, silent type, thus leaving it to others to comment on contributions that go beyond the numbers. Thankfully, there are many willing to chat it up about Stevens. "When you make a mistake, Scotty will cover up for you," Daneyko said. "He's so consistent, you know how to read off him. And between periods, as the captain, he'll go to the board and point out what the young guys should be doing. Not just the young defensemen, but the young forwards." "He's our backbone," said defenseman Brian Rafalski who has been Stevens' partner ever since joining the Devils in 1999-2000. "It starts with his defense and he makes the big hits. When he's able to contribute offensively, that's a huge bonus for us." "Playing with him now, I have an even greater respect for him," center Joe Nieuwendyk said. "He's a true captain. He's a leader." And as he has earned veteran status over the years, Stevens has worked diligently to give back to the game, working with young defensemen like Scott Niedermayer when he broke into the League and Rafalski when he came along. In his mind, it's part of playing the game the right way.
"Throughout my career I've often been paired with younger defensemen and been able to help them out," Stevens said. "I like that part of the game. I think I'm a student of the game and I like helping out and teaching younger players. If I can give them any input and make the game easier for them or help them out, I'm happy to." There never has been one definitive way to lead. That's not an opinion, but a fact drawn on history. Whether it is politics, peace, war or sports; leadership takes on many different guises. Some have taken emotional tacks, complete with yelling, screaming, laughter and tears. Others are more reserved and cerebral. Still others let their actions speak. "I think his game has changed," said former Devils coach Larry Robinson. "I think he is even more mature now than he was then." "Then" was 1995, when the unheralded Devils won their first Stanley Cup. Stevens played no small role in that triumph, as the Devils became a band of road warriors, winning the Cup with triumphs against Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit without benefit of the home-ice advantage. One of the indelible moments from the Finals against the Red Wings was Stevens' crunching hit on Slava Kozlov. In 1995, Claude Lemieux was the Conn Smythe winner thanks to his incredibly timely goals. But goalie Martin Brodeur was a strong candidate for the award, as was Stevens. In the spring of 2000, there was little doubt who was "the man" on the Devils. From the first game of the postseason, Stevens grabbed hold of the 2000 playoffs and made them his own.
In 2003, New Jersey exemplified the true measure of a team, with so many players contributing game in and game out. In 2003, Stevens had three goals and six assists in 24 games, was a League-leading plus-14, and inspired his team mightily by returning to the lineup after taking a wicked Pavel Kubina slap shot in the ear during New Jersey's second-round series with Tampa Bay. After the first Stanley Cup in 1995, the Devils endured some bitter disappointment. They failed to reach the playoffs in 1996, and then were ousted early in subsequent seasons by the Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. Those failures had critics pointing the finger at Stevens for a lack of leadership. "He gets a bum rap," said Minnesota Wild defenseman Brad Bombardir, a former Devil. "His critics say things, but they're not in the dressing room when the doors are closed or on the ice during game time. Maybe there are captains who use their mouths a little more, but Scott leads by example, by playing. The media looks for leaders that stand out verbally. He's not a rah-rah guy, but I know from experience that he has helped me a lot." "There's no doubt in my mind that when we've needed him, he has answered the bell," Daneyko said. "He has really taken a leadership role with this club and I would say that he is one of the many reasons that we are where we are today," Robinson said after the Devils won the 2000 Stanley Cup. "When our team has needed a lift he has provided great leadership both on and off the ice. But yes, I think he is a more complete hockey player now than he was in 1994-95. Maturity and age does those kinds of things to you."
"Game in and game out, Scotty is the man out there," former Devils coach Robbie Ftorek said. "He just plays like a dog, night in and night out. You always know what you're gonna get from Scotty." "Talk is cheap," Stevens said. "You can talk all you want, but you still have to go do it on the ice. That's the bottom line." And that's 60 minutes of all-out effort, punishing work in front of the net, and the ability to play at a exceedingly high level for long periods of time. What's the secret? Seems pretty simple to Stevens. "The game is only 60 minutes long," he shrugged. "No reason not to go hard." Simple and to the point. Sort of like the brand of defense first brought to the NHL in 1982 when he was the fifth selection of the Entry Draft. It's been more than 20 seasons since then, more than 1,500 games, and one fact has remained true during that span, Stevens has remained a force. Throughout the years, Stevens' game has changed according to the wants and needs of his team. In 1984-85, for example, he scored 21 goals for the Washington Capitals. In 1993-94 with the Devils, Stevens manned the point on the New Jersey power play and rattled off 60 assists. In recent seasons, his role has been more defensive. Stevens has been the player who jumps to the ice whenever the opposition opts to send its big guns on to the ice.
"That's why I give Scottie so much credit," goalie Martin Brodeur said. "I don't know if all the best defensemen in this League always go up against the other team's top player like he does." "It's just tough to play against him," former Devils assistant coach Slava Fetisov said. And Fetisov should now a thing or two about top-quality defenseman as he is regarded as one of the greatest to ever lace on a pair of skates. "There aren't many forwards in this League who like to go against this guy." And with good reason. A trip to the front of the New Jersey net when Stevens is on the ice usually end up with the opposing forward getting a nice view of the arena's rafters. Coupled with a tremendous ability to move the puck and sense plays, what Devils fans see in Stevens is the complete package. "I always kid around with the guys in practice, after I get caught on a rebound," Brodeur smiled. "I tell them; 'You won't see that in a game because my boy Scotty will be right there, and they aren't even getting that shot.' " |
