Former Devil Scott Stevens Commends Team’s Physicality – The Hockey Writers New Jersey Devils Latest News, Analysis & More

After last season, it became pretty clear that the New Jersey Devils needed to get a little bigger and tougher. General manager Tom Fitzgerald followed that up by adding guys like Paul Cotter, Brenden Dillon, Stefan Noesen and Johnathan Kovacevic, who have combined for 443 hits this season.

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With the additions, the Devils have risen from 25th last season (20.21 hits/60) to 8th (23.54 hits/60) – a 16.4% uptick. Cotter, Dillon and Noesen, respectively, are one through three on the Devils’ hits leaderboard. The team also takes fighting majors 29% more frequently from 2023-24.

Prior to Jacques Lemaire’s Ring of Honor induction ceremony, The Hockey Writers asked Scott Stevens for his thoughts on this newfound physicality, with an emphasis on fellow defenseman Brenden Dillon:

“You need guys like that, guys that show up like the Ken Daneykos, and they’re there for your teammates…(Dillon) can play the game. He moves the puck well, and he’s gonna back his guys up. He makes everyone on the ice a little bigger. So you need that. You know, you watch the (Florida) Panthers. They come to play. They all finish their checks. They get in your face and try to intimidate you. So it’s still a big part of the game, and it becomes more important in the playoffs.”

He then touched on a previous Paul Cotter quote, where Cotter said, “It’s not hard to finish your check.” For reference, Cotter’s 164 hits currently place him eighth in the National Hockey League.

“I think when I watch hockey, I watch how many times guys give free passes,” said Stevens. “I’m like ‘Oh, that wouldn’t have happened. Not with me. You wouldn’t be coming in front of the net there, eh?’ So I like that hockey. I think that’s something, yes, we have to make the game safer, but we still have to have that physical part. Because the fans love it, and I think it makes it that much more fun when you have physicality in the game.”

Stevens, a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, had a whopping 2,785 penalty minutes throughout his illustrious 22-year career. He celebrated his 60th birthday this past April.