All-Time Toughest Devils | STAN'S LISTS

From the Devils very first season in the NHL, 1982-83, the club featured players who could handle their dukes. Original Owner John McMullen wanted it that way.

"We saw how the Philadelphia Flyers succeeded with their Broad Street Bullies," said McMullen, "not that we wanted to go that route. The point is we didn't want our guys pushed around."

Two of the original Devils - defenseman Ken Daneyko and forward Pat Verbeek - were among the grit guys who would set a tone for the franchise over the years. With that in mind here's my list of toughies both as hitters and punchers. We'll start with The Maven's top 5 and then the remaining 15 in alphabetical order.

5. Brendan Shanahan

At first glance, one would not expect the highly-productive, offense-oriented Shanny on a tough guy list. But there was a truculent side of Brendan that was evident throughout his career. After being drafted second overall by New Jersey in the 1987 player selection, Shanahan showed his Irish colors on his first visit to the Byrne Meadowlands Arena. Wearing a bright green jacket, and accompanied by team executive Max McNab, the 18-year-old oozed confidence. He delivered that belief to the ice as a rookie contributor to the 1988 first playoff berth-clinching.

"He loved to score," McNab remembered, "but Shanny took just as much enjoyment out of a good fight." To underline that point, Brendan had a career total of 17 "Gordie Howe hat tricks." (That is a combination of a goal, assist and a fight in a game.) Brendan's fighting ability did not detract from the fact that the NHL named him one of "Hockey's 100 Greatest Players."

4. Pat Verbeek

One of the earliest Devils draft picks, the little dynamo quickly proved it was a wise move. As the former Colorado Rockies moved into East Rutherford, Verbeek was picked 43rd overall. Despite reaching only 5-foot-9, Pat proved a willing fighter as well as a goal-scorer. During the homestretch of the 1987-88 season, New Jersey was battling the NY Rangers for a final playoff berth. During a late season afternoon game between the rivals in East Rutherford, Verbeek pummeled rookie New York defenseman Brian Leetch; a feat that inspired a New Jersey victory. On the final night of the season, the Devils ousted the Blueshirts and marched into the postseason. Verbeek finished the regular campaign with 46 goals, then a club record.

3. Randy McKay

By far one of the biggest steals of the Lou Lamoriello regime, McKay was half of compensation that Lou received after the Red Wings claimed Troy Crowder from New Jersey. In return, the Devils in 1991 not only acquired two-fisted Randy but a very effective forward in Dave Barr. (Crowder hardly lasted in Detroit.) Meanwhile, McKay - plucked by the Wings in the sixth round (113th overall) in the 1985 Draft - turned into a scoring machine. Along with Bobby Holik and Mike Peluso, McKay equaled his linemates in toughness but also was immensely helpful on the attack. The Michigan Tech graduate starred for both New Jersey's 1995 and 2000 Cup-winners as part of his decade-long career with the Garden Stater's. "It wasn't that Randy looked for fights," said Holik, "but Heaven help the guy who started in with him."

2. Ken Daneyko

After the franchise moved East from Colorado, the newly-born Devils selected a first-team roster via the Draft. At the time nobody knew the intense backliner from Edmonton. Nor could anyone envision Dano excelling at his big-league job for 20 full seasons. After smoothing out his rough edges - and fighting anyone who challenged him - this rugged individualist became the face of the franchise, alias Mister Devil. Every once in a while he'd display offensive skill but boss Lamoriello would admonish him. "The Devils are an orchestra and you are not the violinist, you are the drummer." As New Jersey's policeman, Daneyko was a vital factor in Stanley Cup victories - 1995, 2000 and 2003. In his last playoff stint - Game 7 of the 2003 Final against Anaheim - Ken delivered a dramatic curtain-drop as Mister Devil. Benched for six games, he returned to spur New Jersey to a 3-0 win over the Ducks. It was as fond a farewell as any New Jersey toughie could offer.

1. Scott Stevens

No player in NHL history could match the overall toughness of the Devils consummate captain. "He was the hardest hitter of his era," said former Devil and currently the club's radio analyst, Chico Resch. "Scotty could fight with the best of them and just the look of him was intimidating."

Originally drafted by Washington, fifth overall in 1982, the Kitchener, Ontario product was a wild man in his early big-league seasons. "You sometimes thought he was out of control," said Hall of Fame broadcaster Jiggs McDonald. "It took a while for Scott to hone his temper so that it didn't interfere with his game."

Stevens came to New Jersey from the Blues in a complicated exchange that had Brendan Shanahan moving to St. Louis. Having mastered his temper, Scott became the quintessential blueliner but most notorious for thundering body checks. In Game 2 of the 1995 Stanley Cup final he demolished Red Wings forward Slava Kozlov with a check that left the Red Wing unconscious. When Detroit's Dino Ciccarelli yelled at Scotty, Stevens pointed at the forward and said, "You're next!" Enroute to New Jersey's second Stanley Cup, Stevens blasted huge Philadelphia star Eric Lindros so hard, the blow effectively ended Lindros' career. And in 2003, Scotty captained New Jersey to its third title. In 2007 Stevens was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame!

And I present to you the remaining top 20 in alphabetical order...

David Clarkson

For a short - yet illustrious - period (2006-07 to 2012-13) the Toronto-born right wing combined fistic enthusiasm with significant offense. He titillated Devils fans in bouts with the hated Ranger Sean Avery. In one such clash at The Rock, Clarkson grabbed the helpless Blueshirt and literally tossed him around like a rag doll.

Artistically, David is best remembered as a 2012 playoff hero. He scored three goals and nine assists in 24 games but all three of his goals were game-winners including a classic against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Troy Crowder

Unlike Clarkson, this monster of a man had absolutely no artistic value but he did have big fists and he used them well. The Sudbury, Ontario native did something rare in National Hockey League fistic annals. In a game against the Detroit Red Wings in East Rutherford, Crowder went head to head with Bob Probert, then considered the unofficial Heavyweight Champion of the NHL. To the amazement of the home crowd, Crowder belabored his notorious foe and was acclaimed as the victor. Not surprisingly, they fought again only this time Probert slugged to his ability and compensated for what had been an ugly defeat. Then, GM Lou Lamoriello got even more value out of Crowder when Detroit, ironically picked up Troy in 1991. In return New Jersey gained Randy McKay and Dave Barr who would prove to be huge assets. Crowder never amounted to much after leaving the Devils.

Bobby Holik

By far, one of the most successful "Fourth Lines" in league annals was centered by the Czech-born bruiser. In another trade gem, Lamoriello obtained Holik from Hartford in 1992 and Bobby thrived in New Jersey. With his wingmen, Randy McKay and Mike Peluso, the trio often backed the opposition into the enemy end and then bulldozed their way to a goal. Both Holik and McKay were more the artistic ones while Bobby had a take-no-prisoners frame of mind which was abetted by his big body and sometimes unorthodox maneuvers. One of them - according to foes - was Holik's propensity to "kick skates," otherwise known as "slew footing." It simply was another part of Bobby's arsenal the theme of which was, "I'll do anything to win." Extremely confident and scholarly, he brought a rock 'em, sock 'em style that perfectly meshed with his Crash Line partners.

Garry Howatt

"The Toy Bulldog" earned his reputation as a dynamo on Long Island after he helped the Nassaumen win Stanley Cups in 1980 and 1981. Although miniscule compared with the behemoths of his day, Howatt never turned away from a fight. "What made him such a battler," said Islanders Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour, "was Howie's love of battle, together with his intensity and absolute fearlessness. I don't care how big the opponent may have been, anyone who went with Howatt knew he was in for a licking." Unfortunately, Devils fans never got to see Howatt in his prime since he was at his best in the late 1970's and into the two Cup seasons."

Cam Janssen

A very rare St.Louis, Missouri product to reach the NHL, Janssen made his debut against the Rangers in the 2005-06 season. It took absolutely no time at all for Cam's explosive nature to win the hearts of the New Jersey Faithful. "What made Cam so scary," said David Clarkson, "is that he was like a latter-day Tie Domi; a little guy who hit like a wild windmill."

Jim Korn

When Lou Lamoriello took over Devils management in the summer of 1987, he had a very definite vision in terms of new personnel. "I wanted players who could fit into the lineup and those who would not be pushed around," Lou explained.

A native of Hopkins, Minnesota, Korn was a natural for Lou. Jim had played four years of collegiate hockey for Lamoriello at Providence College where he was an award-winner. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Korn was at home playing forward or defense. When he arrived in East Rutherford for the 1987-88 season, Jim already had plenty of NHL experience in Detroit, Toronto and Buffalo. "Having a big, tough hombre on our team like Jim gave us plenty of confidence in the physical department," said scrappy forward Claude Loiselle.

David Maley

"I liked fellows who played for the Canadiens because they had a winning tradition," Lamoriello explained. "That's why I went after Maley." Sure enough, the Wisconsin native skated for the 1986 Stanley Cup champion Habs before his five-year stint in New Jersey. Hollywood handsome and one of the most genial Devils, David was not convivial on the ice. During the 1988-89 season his penalty minute total was an astronomical 249 minutes including a few winning bouts here and there. David was a potent part of the 1987-88 squad that captured the franchise's first playoff berth on the final night of the season. He proceeded to help the club stun the hockey world by reaching the third round of the playoffs.

Hector Marini

After winning a Stanley Cup with the New York Islanders in 1981, this Northern Ontario stickhandler learned how the "other" half lived when he arrived in East Rutherford. The 1982 Original Devils had a roster pockmarked with fringe big leaguers who needed leadership. For two seasons Marini did his best to bring leadership to a ragtag squad. He never earned any medals for this but was appreciated by the general staff. "Hector was the kind of player we could toss out there any time to rough up the opposition," said the Devils general manager Max McNab. "He was a grit guy who'd take on anyone."

Jim McKenzie

There was nothing fancy about this product of Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. From his earliest days of Junior hockey, and moving forward, his fame was directly linked to his overall toughness and fighting ability. "He was the kind of player that every team needed to keep the opposition honest," said Lamoriello, who acquired the husky hustler in 2001. Although scoring was not his forte, Jim compensated by being one of the 2002-03 Devils ice cops. "McKenzie was one of our lesser lights but effective," said Cup-winning coach Pat Burns. As for the numbers, McKenzie totalled 1,739 penalty minutes over his turbulent career.

Lyle Odelein

Another of Lou's Montreal acquisitions, Odelein arrived in New Jersey in time for the 1996-97 season. An integral part of the Canadiens' 1993 Cup-winners, this native of Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, could have been a Ken Daneyko double. Raw, husky, a low (141st) Draft pick, Lyle established himself as solid a backliner as there was without being an All-Star. "If ever there was a player who epitomized true grit, Odelein was that one," said a Devils beat writer. "And, off the ice, you had to love a guy who always seemed to have a smile on his face." On the pond, he had a career total of 184 fights - part of a penalty minute total of 2,316.

Kris Oliwa

This heavy hunk of hockey player lived a bitter-sweet Devils saga. Polish-born Krzysztof Oliwa was a 6-foot-5, 245-pound behemoth who literally made it from being a coal miner in his homeland to a hockey player with the Welland, Ontario Flames Junior team in 1992. Zealously forging ahead with a hockey career, Kris was drafted 85th overall by New Jersey in 1993 and graduated to the big club on March 9, 1997.

His fighting ability earned Oliwa an appropriate nickname, "The Polish Hammer," and his game improved through the 1999-2000 season. There's no question that he would have been part of the 2000 Cup-winning club but a late-season injury ended that hope and the fan favorite never was the same thereafter despite a few tries with other NHL clubs.

Mike Peluso

If a fist-happy, wild checking, bull-like hockey player also could be called "loveable," then Minnesotan Peluso was that man. Gregarious and fan friendly off the ice, Mike came to the Devils and became historic. He was one of only three players in NHL history to total more than 400 penalty minutes in a season. More important, the native of Pengilly, Minnesota was the third and hardest hitter of the McKay-Holik-Peluso "Crash Line." Mike made his debut as a Devil on opening night, Oct. 6, 1993 but is best known for being a part of the 1995 first New Jersey Stanley Cup-winning team. Fans loved him for in the last minutes of the Cup title over Detroit, Mike could not climb over the boards as coach Jacques Lemaire had instructed. He was bawling his eyes out on the bench and could not control the weeping. It just proved how wonderfully emotional - and sentimental - a Devils enforcer could be.

Sheldon Souray

If this large (6-4, 215) fellow had one "flaw" it would be that he seemed too nice to qualify as a tough hockey player. But Sheldon's niceness was confined to off-ice pursuits. On the ice, you didn't want to trifle with him. Souray made his debut in the 1997-98 season and made the big team because of a blend of skill and robust play. During the 1998-99 campaign he went over the 100 PIM mark with a total of 110 minutes. In addition to taking care of his own end, Souray possessed a power slapshot from the point that was not appreciated by enemy goalenders. The Maven still believes that coaches did not get the best out of the big guy. I was very disappointed when he was traded to Montreal late in the 1999-2000 season.

John Wensink

A pure "Sluggo," with a bit of a scoring touch, Wensink was a New Jersey inheritance. He originally made his NHL reputation as a member of the Big, Bad Bruins when they literally were big and very bad. Eventually, John wound up on the 1981-82 Colorado Rockies when the club either was losing games or trying to figure whether the franchise would stay alive. It was, of course, rescued by Dr. John McMullen and moved to New Jersey. Wensink was invited along and was the best fighting cop the baby franchise had. Wensink's one-season Devils record included two goals, seven assists, nine points and 135 penalty minutes which were consumed by protecting his less belligerent teammates.

Colin White

You just didn't want to mess with this guy; not if you were a foe of the Devils. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, this Maritimer from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia was the brand of defensive defenseman that coaches admire. I watched Colin develop on the Devils' Albany River Rats farm club. It was a slow but sure process but led him to the Varsity in time for the 2000 Stanley Cup victory. Built along the generous dimensions of his captain, Scott Stevens, Colin came into his own in the 2000-01 season when he helped New Jersey to its second Cup Final in a row. He totalled 155 penalty minutes in that campaign and 133 PIM a year later. When the Devils won their third Cup in 2003 White was one of coach Pat Burns' steadiest blueliners.

HONORABLE MENTION: Perry Anderson was a loveable Devils forward during the 1987-88 season. He was totally fearless and is best remembered for Game 6 against the Islanders in the 1988 playoffs. New Jersey won the game and the series. The signature bodycheck was delivered by Anderson who checked Isles captain Denis Potvin to his knees in the left corner of the visitors' end of the rink. It took Potvin a while to get up and, significantly, it was Potvin's last NHL game!

Special thanks to the following Devils' followers who contributed their ideas to this story: Glenn Resch, Matt Loughlin, George Falkowski, Noam Kogen and Leo Scaglione, Jr.