50 Greatest New Jersey Devils Players Of All Time

Greatest New Jersey Devils player of all time: 2. Scott Stevens

We’ve made it to The Captain. Scott Stevens was everything you want from a defenseman in the late 90s and early 2000s. He had offensive abilities that made him a threat every time he had the puck on his stick. Despite Niedermayer being on the Devils, Stevens owns three of the top seven seasons for points by a Devils defenseman. Dougie Hamilton came close, but Stevens still owns the top spot with 78 points in 1993-94.

Despite his offensive skills, Stevens will go down as probably the best hitter in the history of the game. Obviously, we’re looking at this with a different lens today, knowing what we know about concussions, but Stevens did what he was asked in the late 90s. It was his job to knock a guy’s head off. This was a player that completely changed his game multiple times. He could have adjusted his game to play in today’s style if need be.

Stevens was the captain for all three Devils championships. He wore that C with pride, and he exuded leadership at all-time. Whether it’s telling someone “you’re next,” making other players pay for dirty hits, or sending a message to star players, the Devils are the Devils because of Scott Stevens.

Stevens spent 13 seasons in New Jersey. In 956 games, he was everything. An offensive dynamo, the toughest guy to ever hit the ice, a star, and a leader were just some of the hats he had to wear. There is only one player more important to this franchise.