Washington Capitals: Top 10 toughest players of all-time

#9 Scott Stevens

Scott Stevens brought his physicality to the game of hockey ever since being an 18 year old rookie with the Washington Capitals in 1982-83. Hitting was a huge part of Stevens’ game. That 1982 season saw Brian Engblom as his defensive parting partner. He called Stevens “a man child” who “had a tremendous instinct right from the very first day.”

Engblom elaborated more to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com:

"“Somebody would be coming down on me 1-on-1 and all the sudden this force of nature would come from the left and, ‘Boom!’ There’d be this giant collision. He almost took me out a couple times. I’d go, ‘What the [heck] was that?’ It was Scott laying people out all over the place.”"

Stevens’ accolades while with the Caps included making the NHL’s All Rookie Team in 1983. He made the NHL’s First All Star Team in 1988. He also played in the NHL All Star Game representing the Caps in 1985 and 1989. He is an NHL Hall of Famer who won the Stanley Cup three times while playing for the New Jersey Devils.

He had the most penalty minutes during his time with the Caps in 1988-89 when he racked up 225 minutes in the box. He spent a total of eight seasons with the Capitals.