[Devils-list] Devils: Stevens doesn't want part-time job

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Devils: Stevens doesn't want part-time job 09/23/01BY RICH CHERE
STAR-LEDGER STAFF
PHILADELPHIA -- Devils captain Scott Stevens isn't going to sit quietly. 
Although he is aware of suggestions from coach Larry Robinson that a periodic 
rest might do him good, Stevens said the idea doesn't appeal to him at all. 
"I guess I'm old," Stevens, 37, said sarcastically before sitting out the 
Devils' 2-2 preseason tie with the Philadelphia Flyers yesterday at the First 
Union Center. "Right now, I don't see myself sitting. Not at this stage of my 
career. I expect to play as I've always played. If there is an injury, that's 
different, but I feel I've taken care of myself." Stevens played in 81 of 82 
regular-season games last season and all 25 playoff games. Discounting the 
lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, he has averaged 79 games per season since 
coming to the Devils in 1991-92. That he is entering the final season on his 
contract with the potential of becoming an unrestricted free agent next 
summer makes the thought of sitting out games even less appealing to the 
hard-hitting defenseman. His plan is to play until the age of 40 and he 
believes he can do it at his current level. "I'm not going to take a 
part-time role. Not here or anywhere," Stevens said forcefully. "I don't see 
why I have to sit out games." Robinson admits it will be difficult persuading 
Stevens to take a night off, and he does not relish the idea of losing the 
defenseman's penalty-killing skills. But some members of the organization 
feel it might help the team in the long run. "Why not? It's all about the big 
picture," defenseman Ken Daneyko said. "They did it with me at the end of 
last year. You don't realize yourself the dividends you receive. I felt fresh 
even in the finals. Scotty logs a lot of ice time, too. I'm sure they're not 
going to do it too often, but in the right circumstances, if things are going 
well, why not?" Why not, indeed. The entire NHL knows the type of player 
Stevens is, so a few fewer games wouldn't hurt his marketability if he chose 
to test the market next summer. And he could even resign with the Devils 
before this season is out. Stevens said he would be open to discussing a 
three-year extension for his final contract. "I think it's possible that I 
could sign (during this season). We still have a good team here. We still 
have a chance to win the Cup. That's the most important thing," Stevens said. 
"We've talked and I'm open to hearing anything. I'm not going to force their 
hand. I believe things will work out." Notes: The Devils believe right winger 
Petr Sykora escaped a serious hip injury when he was blindsided by Flyers 
defenseman Luke Richardson with 8:45 left in the third period. Sykora, who 
suffered a left hip flexor, had to be helped off the ice by teammates Bobby 
Holik and Jason Arnott, but he was able to walk out of the arena on his own. 
"It's my hip. I'm only bruised, nothing wrong. I'll probably be sore for 
awhile but we still have two weeks before the first game and I'm sure I'm 
going to be back before then," Sykora said. "I didn't see him. I had no idea 
he was coming. I was fighting for a rebound and you don't expect anyone to 
come from behind." GM Lou Lamoriello said: "He's okay. There was no spleen 
injury." Holik said he believed it was a dirty late hit and thought 
Richardson would be fined but on-ice officials called it a collision and did 
not penalize Richardson. Daneyko went after Richardson, who was apologizing. 
"He said they both had their heads down and collided. He's a physical player. 
When he doesn't fight, it's pretty surprising," Daneyko said. "To me, that 
means it was probably accidental." Richardson said: "I was just trying to get 
back into position in my zone. I saw him and I don't think he saw me. At the 
last second, I know I just dropped my shoulder." Robinson called it a late 
hit while Lamoriello added, "It's a long year." Rookie forward Mike Jefferson 
held his own in a fight with instigator Jeremy Roenick. ... The Devils erased 
a 1-0 deficit in the second when Patrik Elias scored from the left circle at 
8:46 and Holik put a power-play slap shot under the crossbar at 15:05. Keith 
Primeau scored both Flyers goals. 
    


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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT  COLOR="#0000a0" SIZE=5><B>Devils: Stevens doesn't want part-time job </FONT><FONT  COLOR="#0000a0" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="arial" LANG="0"></B>09/23/01<B>BY RICH CHERE
<BR>STAR-LEDGER STAFF
<BR></FONT><FONT  COLOR="#0000a0" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="arial" LANG="0"></B>PHILADELPHIA -- Devils captain Scott Stevens isn't going to sit quietly. Although he is aware of suggestions from coach Larry Robinson that a periodic rest might do him good, Stevens said the idea doesn't appeal to him at all. "I guess I'm old," Stevens, 37, said sarcastically before sitting out the Devils' 2-2 preseason tie with the Philadelphia Flyers yesterday at the First Union Center. "Right now, I don't see myself sitting. Not at this stage of my career. I expect to play as I've always played. If there is an injury, that's different, but I feel I've taken care of myself." Stevens played in 81 of 82 regular-season games last season and all 25 playoff games. Discounting the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, he has averaged 79 games per season since coming to the Devils in 1991-92. That he is entering the final season on his contract with the potential of becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer makes the thought of sitting out games even less appealing to the hard-hitting defenseman. His plan is to play until the age of 40 and he believes he can do it at his current level. "I'm not going to take a part-time role. Not here or anywhere," Stevens said forcefully. "I don't see why I have to sit out games." Robinson admits it will be difficult persuading Stevens to take a night off, and he does not relish the idea of losing the defenseman's penalty-killing skills. But some members of the organization feel it might help the team in the long run. "Why not? It's all about the big picture," defenseman Ken Daneyko said. "They did it with me at the end of last year. You don't realize yourself the dividends you receive. I felt fresh even in the finals. Scotty logs a lot of ice time, too. I'm sure they're not going to do it too often, but in the right circumstances, if things are going well, why not?" Why not, indeed. The entire NHL knows the type of player Stevens is, so a few fewer games wouldn't hurt his marketability if he chose to test the market next summer. And he could even resign with the Devils before this season is out. Stevens said he would be open to discussing a three-year extension for his final contract. "I think it's possible that I could sign (during this season). We still have a good team here. We still have a chance to win the Cup. That's the most important thing," Stevens said. "We've talked and I'm open to hearing anything. I'm not going to force their hand. I believe things will work out." <B>Notes:</B> The Devils believe right winger Petr Sykora escaped a serious hip injury when he was blindsided by Flyers defenseman Luke Richardson with 8:45 left in the third period. Sykora, who suffered a left hip flexor, had to be helped off the ice by teammates Bobby Holik and Jason Arnott, but he was able to walk out of the arena on his own. "It's my hip. I'm only bruised, nothing wrong. I'll probably be sore for awhile but we still have two weeks before the first game and I'm sure I'm going to be back before then," Sykora said. "I didn't see him. I had no idea he was coming. I was fighting for a rebound and you don't expect anyone to come from behind." GM Lou Lamoriello said: "He's okay. There was no spleen injury." Holik said he believed it was a dirty late hit and thought Richardson would be fined but on-ice officials called it a collision and did not penalize Richardson. Daneyko went after Richardson, who was apologizing. "He said they both had their heads down and collided. He's a physical player. When he doesn't fight, it's pretty surprising," Daneyko said. "To me, that means it was probably accidental." Richardson said: "I was just trying to get back into position in my zone. I saw him and I don't think he saw me. At the last second, I know I just dropped my shoulder." Robinson called it a late hit while Lamoriello added, "It's a long year." Rookie forward Mike Jefferson held his own in a fight with instigator Jeremy Roenick. ... The Devils erased a 1-0 deficit in the second when Patrik Elias scored from the left circle at 8:46 and Holik put a power-play slap shot under the crossbar at 15:05. Keith Primeau scored both Flyers goals. 
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