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| 1982 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Scott Stevens
Selected in first round
No.
5 overall by Washington Capitals
Born April
1, 1964
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-0 Weight: 200
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Kitchener (OHL)
Birthplace:
Kitchener, Ontario (Canada)
Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1980-81 |
Kitchener | Jr. B |
39 | 7 |
33 | 40 |
82 | | |
Kitchener | OMJHL |
1 | 0 |
0 | 0 |
0 | | 1981-82 |
Kitchener | OHL |
68 | 6 |
36 | 42 |
158 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
Memorial Cup:
1982 (Kitchener)
OHL All-Star Game: 1982 (Kitchener)
Kitchener Rookie of Year: 1981-82
Miscellaneous: Rated in The Hockey News draft preview issue as
No. 5 overall prospect and No. 2 OHL prospect for the 1982 NHL draft. ... Was
Kitchener's first-round pick, No. 9 overall, in 1981 OHL priority selection.
... Led all OHL rookie defensemen with 42 points in 1981-82. ... Ranked
second in 1981-82 OHL coaches' polls naming OHL's "Best Bodychecker" and
"Best Defensive Defenseman." ... Attended Eastwood Collegiate (high school)
in Kitchener, Ontario. ... Grew up in Kitchener, where his father, Larry,
owned a paper-products company. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 6, 1982 (Washington at N.Y.
Rangers)
Numbers: 3 (Washington); 2
(STL); 4 (New Jersey) (number retired)
Stanley Cup: 1995, 2000, 2003. Status:
Retired September 6, 2005 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | |
1982-2004 |
Washington, STL, N.J. |
1,635 | 196 |
712 | 908 |
2,785 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1983-2002 |
Washington, STL, N.J. |
233 |
26 | 92 |
118 | 402 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Conn Smythe Trophy: 2000 (New Jersey)
Alka-Seltzer Plus Award (NHL +/Leader): 1993-94 (N.J.) (plus-53)
NHL All-Star First Team: 1987-88 (Washington), 1993-94 (N.J.)
Sporting News All-Star First Team: 1993-94
NHL All-Star Second Team: 1991-92, 1996-97, 2000-01 (N.J.)
Sporting News All-Star Second Team: 1987-88
NHL All-Rookie Team: 1982-83 (Washington)
All-Star Game:
1985, 1989 (Washington), 1991 (St. Louis), 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997,
1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 (injured, did not play) (New Jersey)
NHL All-Star Game Captain:
2003 (Eastern Conference)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost):
2001 (New Jersey)
Washington
Fan's Favorite Award: 1984-85
Washington Most Promising Player
(Rookie of Year): 1982-83
New Jersey MVP (Media Vote): 1993-94
New Jersey Players' Player: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94
New
Jersey SportsChannel MVP (Fan Vote): 1993-94
St. Louis Captain: Oct. 3, 1990, until Sept. 4, 1991
New Jersey Captain: Sept. 24, 1992, to Sept. 6, 2005
NHL Records: Most career games played by a defenseman (1,635), most
career playoff games played by a defenseman (233), youngest player to play
in 1,500th career game (37 years, 11 months, 12 days), most career games
played by a player on a winning team (879), most career playoff Game 7
appearances (13)
Washington Records: Most career
penalty minutes by a defenseman (1,630), most assists in one season by a
defenseman (61 in 1988-89), most points by a defenseman in one game (5 vs.
Los Angeles on Dec. 6, 1987, shares record), most assists by a
defenseman in one game (5 vs. Los Angeles on Dec. 6, 1987), most consecutive
games by a defenseman with at least one assist (8 in 1987-88), most
power-play goals in one season by a defenseman (16 in 1984-85), most points
by a defenseman in one playoff year (12 in 1988, shares record), most
assists by a defenseman in one playoff year (11 in 1988), most assists
in a playoff game (4 at N.J. on April 28, 1988, shares record)
New Jersey Records: Most career assists by a defenseman (337), most assists in one season (60 in 1993-94), most
points in one season by a defenseman (78 in 1993-94), most goals in one
season by a defenseman (18 in 1993-94), most assists in one season by a
defenseman (60 in 1993-94), highest career plus-minus rating (283), most points scored on road in one season by a
defenseman (43 in 1993-94), most shots on goal in one season by a defenseman
(215 in 1993-94), highest plus-minus rating in one season (plus-53 in
1993-94), highest plus-minus in one game (plus-6 at Washington on Oct. 8,
1993, shares record), highest plus-minus in one game by defenseman (plus-6
at Washington on Oct. 8, 1993), most career playoff goals by a defenseman
(17), most career playoff points at home by a defenseman (37), most career
playoff shots on goal by a defenseman (286), most career playoff
game-winning goals (6, shares record), highest career playoff plus-minus
rating (plus-33), most shots on goal by a defenseman in one playoff year (56
in 1994), highest plus-minus rating by a defenseman in one playoff year
(plus-14 in 2003), most shots on goal by a defenseman in one playoff series
(26 vs. Pittsburgh in 1995), most shots on goals by a defenseman in one
playoff game (8 vs. Boston on May 3, 1994, and vs. Pittsburgh on May 24,
1995)
Washington Assists
Leader: 1987-88 (60), 1988-89 (61)
Washington Penalty-Minutes
Leader: 1983-84 (201), 1984-85 (221), 1985-86 (165), 1986-87 (283),
1988-89 (225)
Washington Playoffs Assists
Leader: 1984 (8), 1987 (5), 1988 (11)
Washington Playoffs Penalty-Minutes
Leader: 1983 (26), 1985 (20)
New Jersey Points Leader: 1993-94
(78)
N.J. Assists
Leader: 1991-92 (42, tie), 1993-94 (60), 1995 (20, tie)
New Jersey Playoffs Points
Leader: 1993 (4, tie)
New Jersey Playoffs Goals
Leader: 1993 (2, tie)
New Jersey Playoffs Penalty-Minutes
Leader: 1992 (29)
Miscellaneous: Scored goal on his first shot in his first NHL game.
The goal, at 14:13 of the second period, beat N.Y. Rangers goaltender Eddie
Mio in an eventual 5-4 Capitals victory. ... Led all NHL rookie defensemen
with 195 penalty minutes in 1982-83. ... Finished third in voting for
1982-83 Calder Trophy. ... Tied Washington single-season record (since
broken) for goals in one season by a defenseman with 21 in 1984-85. ...
Missed part of 1985-86 season with bruised right knee, an injury suffered in
Washington's Nov. 6, 1985, game at Pittsburgh. ... Set Washington record
(since broken) for assists in one game by a defenseman with four on Dec. 22,
1985, at Quebec. ... Became Washington's career leader (records since
broken) in penalty minutes and goals by a defenseman during 1985-86 season.
... Missed part of 1986-87 season with broken right index finger, an injury
suffered during Washington's Dec. 14, 1986, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ...
Named NHL Player of Week for week ending March 16, 1986. ... Set Washington
single-season record (since broken) with 285 penalty minutes in 1986-87. ...
Became Washington's career leader (record since broken) in assists by a
defenseman during 1986-87 season. ... Became Washington's career leader
(records since broken) in points and goals by a defenseman during 1987-88
season. ... Missed part of 1988 playoffs with bruised shoulder, an injury
suffered during Washington's first-round series vs. Philadelphia in April
1988. ... Set Washington record (since broken) for assists in one playoff
year with 11 in 1988. ... Set Washington record (since broken) for
consecutive playoff games with at least one assist (6 from April 14, 1987,
through April 9, 1988). ... Was runner-up to Ray Bourque in voting for 1987-88 Norris Trophy. ...
Contracted poison oak in November 1988, but did not miss any games. ...
Suffered 88-stitch facial cut at 1989 World Championships in Stockholm,
Sweden, when Borje Salming's skate cut his face during Team Canada's April
21, 1989, game vs. Team Sweden. .... Missed part of 1989-90 season with
broken left foot, an injury suffered during Washington's Dec. 29, 1989, game
at Detroit. He did not return to action until Washington's Feb. 6, 1990,
game vs. Quebec. ... Suspended three games by NHL during 1989-90 season for
gouging Dave Manson in eye while fighting Manson in Washington's Feb. 27,
1990, game at Chicago. Stevens said he never touched Manson's eye and that
the blood had come as a result of Manson's eye hitting Stevens' helmet
during the fight. Stevens also said he was bitten by Manson. After a
review of the incident, the NHL announced the suspension on March 6, 1990.
Stevens began serving the suspension on March 13, 1990, and did not return
to action until Washington's March 20, 1990, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ...
Missed part of 1989-90 season with bruised left shoulder, an injury suffered
during Washington's March 27, 1990, game vs. New Jersey. ... Suffered
dislocated shoulder during Game 1 of Washington's Wales Conference finals
playoff series vs. Boston on May 3, 1990, but did not miss any playoff
games. ... Left Washington in 1990 with career records (since broken) for
penalty minutes (1,630), games played by a defenseman (601), points by a defenseman (429), goals by a
defenseman (98), assists by a defenseman (331), playoff games played (67),
playoff points (53), playoff assists (44) and playoff goals by a defenseman
(9). ... Suspended two games by NHL during 1990-91 season for role in brawl
during St. Louis' March 17, 1991, game at Chicago. Stevens fought Dave
Manson during the brawl, known as the St. Patrick's Day Massacre. His
suspension was announced on March 21, 1991, and he began serving it on March
28, 1991. ... Paired on defense with Eric Weinrich for New Jersey in
1991-92. ... Missed part of 1991-92 season with strained right knee, an
injury suffered during New Jersey's Feb. 20, 1992, game at Chicago. He did
not return to action until New Jersey's March 19, 1992, game vs. Edmonton.
... Paired on defense with Scott Niedermayer for New Jersey in 1992-93. ...
Missed part of 1992-93 season with concussion, an injury suffered during New
Jersey's Dec. 27, 1992, game vs. Hartford. ... Paired on defense with Ken
Daneyko and later with Scott Niedermayer for New Jersey in 1993-94. ...
Missed part of 1993-94 season with strained knee, an injury suffered during
New Jersey's Nov. 18, 1993, game at Ottawa. ... Became first defenseman in
New Jersey history to lead team in scoring when he achieved feat with 78
points in 1993-94. ... Was runner-up to Ray Bourque in voting for 1993-94
Norris Trophy. The four-point difference was closest vote in Norris Trophy
history. ... Played in 1,000th career NHL game for New Jersey on Jan. 9,
1996, vs. St. Louis. ... Suffered fractured cheekbone when hit by puck
during New Jersey's Feb. 11, 1996, game vs. Anaheim, but began playing with
face shield and did not miss any games. ... Paired on defense with Shawn
Chambers for New Jersey in 1995-96. ... Suspended one game and fined $1,000
by NHL during 1996-87 season for high-sticking incident against Igor
Larionov in New Jersey's Oct. 6, 1996, season-opener vs. Detroit. Stevens
drew a double-minor penalty for the infraction, which cut Larionov's face.
Larionov needed three stitches to close the cut, and Stevens was given an
automatic suspension for drawing blood. . ... Missed part of 1996-97 season
with the flu, contracted in December 1996. ... Missed part of 1997-98 season
with hip-pointer injury, suffered during New Jersey's Feb. 26, 1998, game at
Tampa Bay. ... Missed parts of 1998-99 season with flu, contracted in
December 1998, with back spasms, an injury suffered during New Jersey's Dec.
19, 1998, game at Montreal, and with strained groin, an injury suffered
during New Jersey's March 15, 1999, game at Vancouver. ... Missed parts of
1999-00 season with the flu, contracted in January 2000 and again in March
2000. ... Became first player in NHL history to play 600 games with two
different teams when he achieved feat during 1999-00 season. ... Paired on
defense with Brian Rafalski for New Jersey during 1999-00 season. ...
Finished third in voting for 2000-01 Norris Trophy. ... Played in his
1,500th career NHL game for New Jersey on March 13, 2002, vs. N.Y.
Islanders. He was the youngest player in NHL history to achieve that feat
(age 37 years, 11 months, 12 days). ... Passed Larry Murphy as the NHL's
all-time leader in games-played by a defenseman when he played in his
1,616th game for New Jersey on Nov. 28, 2003, at Dallas. ... Missed
remainder of
2003-04 regular season with post-concussion
syndrome, an injury diagnosed while he was out with the flu in January 2004. The concussion-related
problems forced him to miss the 2004 NHL All-Star Game despite being voted
an Eastern Conference starter. ... New Jersey retired Stevens' No. 4 in a ceremony
prior to the Devils' Feb. 3, 2006, game vs. Carolina. Stevens' number was
the first to be retired by the Devils franchise.
Stevens Exits Washington:
Stevens made headlines in July 1990 when he signed a four-year, $5.145
million contract with St. Louis as a restricted free agent. Washington
declined its option to match the huge offer. As a result, St. Louis was
forced to give Washington an unprecedented five first-round draft picks to
compensate the Capitals for the signing. The Stevens signing was a landmark
moment for the NHL because it threatened the entire NHL salary structure.
The deal included a $1.4 million signing bonus for a player that many did
not consider among the league's top five defensemen at that time. Stevens
would earn twice what Ray Bourque was scheduled to earn in 1990-91. Because
of this, NHL general managers feared that the true superstar defensemen like
Bourque would claim they deserved bigger salaries in line with what Stevens
was getting. This did, in fact, happen over the next several years and
helped set the stage for the 1994 NHL lockout. Ironically, Stevens would
last only one season in St. Louis, because he was later awarded to New
Jersey as compensation for another high-profile free-agent signing by the
Blues -- Brendan Shanahan in 1991.
Stevens Exits St. Louis: Just
one year after joining St. Louis, Scott Stevens was on his way to New Jersey
as compensation for the Blues' signing of free agent Brendan Shanahan. The
incident caused great controversy that would reverberate through the NHL for
many years. It all began on July 25, 1991, when St. Louis signed Shanahan as
a restricted free agent. New Jersey, which refused to match St. Louis'
offer, was entitled to compensation. Judge Edward Houston, acting as the
NHL's arbitrator, was asked to rule on the case after New Jersey and St.
Louis could not agree on a fair compensation package. New Jersey had
demanded Stevens, while St. Louis was offering Rod Brind'Amour, Curtis
Joseph and two draft picks. On Sept. 4, 1991, Houston ruled in a 14-page
document that St. Louis would have to give Stevens, their team captain, to
New Jersey. This outraged St. Louis, which was still required to compensate
Washington with four future draft picks. The Blues and the NHLPA felt the
NHL was deliberately punishing St. Louis for its free-agent spending, which
drove up salaries around the league. Initially angered by the ruling,
Stevens, who still had three years on his contract, did not report to New
Jersey's training camp until Sept. 26, 1991. The ruling was still on the
NHLPA's mind when it called for a brief players' strike late in the 1991-92 season.
The Tampering Incident:
Nearly eight years after losing Stevens, the St. Louis Blues again paid a
big price when the NHL ruled that the team had tampered with Stevens by
negotiating with him when he was still property of the Devils in 1994. Five
years after the incident, on Jan. 4, 1999, the NHL fined St. Louis a record
$1.5 million and forced the Blues to give New Jersey one of their
first-round picks between 2000 and 2004. New Jersey also received the option
to switch first-round picks with St. Louis in any draft between 2000 and
2004. This was the culmination of a four-year investigation which found that
St. Louis had been negotiating an offer sheet with Stevens prior to his
becoming a free agent on July 1, 1994. This was deemed tampering, since
league rules specified that only Stevens' current team could negotiate with
him during the time period in question. Stevens signed his offer sheet with
St. Louis on July 4, 1994. Five days later, the Devils matched St. Louis'
four-year, $17 million offer, but New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello
successfully argued that St. Louis had stacked the deck against his team
before Stevens' contract expired. Since Stevens knew what he was going to
get from St. Louis, but Devils management did not know, Stevens was in an
unfair position to reject New Jersey's offers during the June 1994
negotiating period. The ruling set a strong example for all teams that
future tampering would be harshly punished. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams:
None
Olympics: 1998 (fourth place)
Canada Cup: 1984
(reserve, did not play), 1991
(first place)
World Cup of Hockey: 1996 (second place)
World Championships: 1983
(bronze medal), 1985 (silver medal), 1987 (fourth place), 1989 (silver
medal)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame:
Inducted 1996 (as member of 1995 New Jersey Devils)
SportsChannel New
York Athlete of Year: 1995 (New Jersey)
Miscellaneous: Grew
two inches
after draft, playing most of his NHL career at 6-foot-2, 215
pounds. ... Attended 1982 summer tryout camp for Canada's 1983 World Junior
Championship team, but was unavailable for tournament because he was already
with Washington in NHL. ... Was on
Washington team that held 1989 training camp in Sweden before joining
Calgary for 1989 NHL Friendship Tour in Soviet Union. The Capitals faced
four Soviet teams on the tour. ... Played on Washington's off-season charity
softball team. ... Was active in charitable causes during his playing days
in New Jersey, including work on state governor's "Stop Aggressive Driving"
campaign and work with New Jersey chapter of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Personal: Full name is Ronald Scott Stevens. ...
Older brother of former NHL player Mike Stevens. ... Son of former Canadian
semipro football player Larry Stevens. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| FREE AGENCY: Stevens played out his option
with Washington in 1989-90 and became a restricted free agent. He signed
with St. Louis on July 12, 1990. As compensation for signing Stevens, St.
Louis was required to give Washington two first-round picks among the top
seven picks in 1991 and 1992 as well as $100,000. If the Blues did not
control 1991 and 1992 picks in the top seven, they would be required to give
Washington five first-round draft picks from 1991 to 1995. The Blues did not
have a top-seven pick in 1991, so deal was amended to first round picks in 1991 (Trevor Halverson), 1992 (Sergei Gonchar), 1993
(Brendan Witt), 1994 (later traded) and 1995 (Miikka Elomo). |
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|
SNAPSHOT '82 | | Total Selected: |
252 | | Forwards: |
152 | | Defense: |
82 | | Goaltenders: |
18 | | Major Junior: |
129 | | Tier II/Jr. B: |
27/4 | | College Players: |
20 | | High School: |
37 |
| Canadian: |
152 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
3 | | USA Citizens: |
62 | | U.S.-Born: |
62 |
| European: |
35 |
| Reached NHL: |
109 |
| Stanley Cup: |
18 | | Hall of Fame: |
0 |
| All-Star Game: |
14 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
4 |
| Olympians: |
37 |
| Picks Traded: |
50 |
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