Being born in 1985 and growing up watching the NHL in the 1990s, I largely remember Stevens more as a defensive presence making hits and being a key to the New Jersey Devils success within their Neutral Zone Trap system.
Yet in looking at his career, it's interesting just how steeply his numbers dropped once he became a team player and acclimated himself to the system. The numbers bear out his heavier defensive emphasis but prior to 1994 he was quite the offensive weapon.
1983-1994: 150 Goals, 522 Assists, and a +204 in 904 Games
1994-2003: 46 Goals, 190 Assists, and a +191 in 724 Games
He went from being a guy who'd generate 40-60 Assists and double digit goals (17, 12, and 18 from 1991-1993 alone) to a defenseman who would generate around 5 Goals and 20-25 Assists in any given season.
For anybody who watched Stevens in the 1980s or early 90s, how good was he offensively? Could he have legit challenged 325 Goals by his career's end or was he partly a product of the style of play in the 1980s and early 1990s?
Yet in looking at his career, it's interesting just how steeply his numbers dropped once he became a team player and acclimated himself to the system. The numbers bear out his heavier defensive emphasis but prior to 1994 he was quite the offensive weapon.
1983-1994: 150 Goals, 522 Assists, and a +204 in 904 Games
1994-2003: 46 Goals, 190 Assists, and a +191 in 724 Games
He went from being a guy who'd generate 40-60 Assists and double digit goals (17, 12, and 18 from 1991-1993 alone) to a defenseman who would generate around 5 Goals and 20-25 Assists in any given season.
For anybody who watched Stevens in the 1980s or early 90s, how good was he offensively? Could he have legit challenged 325 Goals by his career's end or was he partly a product of the style of play in the 1980s and early 1990s?