Scott Stevens

by thatguy011071 on Dec 25, 2009 8:06 AM EST

Comparing Today's Devils "D" to then, when we had Scott Stevens, Kenny Daneyko and Scott Neidermayer.

I know, I am beating a dead horse here. Having grow up watching those guys I just can't help but make the comparison. None of the Devils defenseman today can put the fear of God in opposing forwards like Scott Stevens and Kenny Daneyko could. Scott Neidermayer could as well but it didn't come as naturally to him and he had to be pushed to that point, the playoffs were a different matter of course. All 3 of those guys would raise their game to the next level. Danekyo had the "stare" that would make men of lesser quality whimper. Very few forwards could give that back. Stevens on the other hand was probably the best open ice hitter in the game. He had the power crush you with a hit or play the point on the power play and score a goal. Who can forget Stevens telling a yapping Dino Ciccarelli that "You're next!" after leveling Vyacheslav Kozlov in the 95 Stanley Cup finals? I don't even have to mention the leadership ability all three of them exuded. However, they all did it differently.

Having said all that, none of the Devils defenseman have the skills those guys had. This is a "good" group although I think the generation that is in the minors will be better. Notably, Alexander Urbom. He was drafted as a strictly defensive defender but has shown, as least in the minors, that he can score points. Hockey's Future states that his offensive skills are average at best but this is what the minors are for, to develop your skills. He could simply be a late bloomer or really hasn't gotten a chance to show his offensive ability until now. I really like the fact that Stevens is working with the kids in the minors, I hope they absorb his teachings like a sponge.

Will the next generation be as good as the three I mentioned? I just don't think so, those guys were something special and you just don't see that combination of talent to often. That skill was displayed most in Scott Stevens, he was simply a complete talent.

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I feel like its just two entirely different generations of hockey. Defensemen pre-lockout were just so much more physical and relied on that to balance out their skill level. The defensemen we have now are much more skilled and versatile but as you stated, don’t really possess that raw intensity. I’m not sure if this is just a league wide difference in generations, and that other teams had a similar effect on their defensemen when the lockout occured.

"We aim above the mark to hit the mark." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

by Tim G on Dec 25, 2009 9:31 AM EST reply actions

But, in any event, let me reiterate that I completely agree with you. This is why its so important to have Stevens teaching these defensemen.

"We aim above the mark to hit the mark." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

by Tim G on Dec 25, 2009 9:32 AM EST up reply actions

He gets a bum rap alot but Colin White would have likely been this player had he not suffered his eye injury. He played with Stevens, Daneyko, and Niedermayer (the latter was his partner for a number of years) and was expected to do more of the fighting back then. He was maturing nicely (PIMs dropping) as he got a bigger role but the eye injury takes away his ability to both: a) throw down in a fight and (more importantly) b) makes it harder to read an open ice play and throw a big hit.

White does a great job compensating, he’s excellent at closing off the puck-carrier and then mashing them into the boards but I cant help but feel he would have “had it” (whatever “it” is that we’re talking about) if he hadn’t suffered the injury.

by drhgzang on Dec 26, 2009 12:18 PM EST reply actions