The 16 Toughest Devils | 40 YEARS WITH STAN

If you can't beat 'em in the alley, you can't beat 'em on the ice.
Those deathless words about our favorite game were uttered at the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp in the fall of 1946.
The speaker was Conn Smythe, the Toronto hockey boss, and the listeners skated for his team which had missed the playoffs a season earlier.
Smythe added six rookies to that team and each one was loaded with a mean streak. And guess what? They won the Stanley Cup in four of the next five seasons.
The lesson here is that tough hockey often is equated with winning hockey. And with that in mind, The Maven will hark back four decades and bring you my 16 favorite All-Time Toughest Devils -- in alphabetical order:

DAVID CLARKSON

New Jersey historian George Falkowski said it best about this very popular Devil: "Imagine a guy who could fight AND score thirty goals AND be a huge contributor to his club's Conference-winning team in the spring of 2012? And he never was afraid to take his medicine setting up in front of an opposing goalie." David is fondly remembered for helping defeat the Flyers in a playoff game by "disturbing" Philly goalie Ilya Bryzgalov who then panicked and cleared the puck back to a hard-charging Clarkson and back into his own net. David's manhandling of the Rangers Sean Avery like a rag doll never will be forgotten by Garden State hockey fans.

TROY CROWDER

This big, broth of a boy did what many seasoned observers considered impossible; he outslugged the man who then was considered the NHL's unofficial heavyweight champion, Bob Probert. The take-down of Probert at the Meadowlands received continent-wide attention as did a rematch at Joe Louis Arena in which Crowder was held to a draw. Still, the Red Wings general staff was so impressed with Troy's courage that Detroit signed him as a free agent. This, in turn, was a blessing for Lou Lamoriello who engineered one of the biggest steals in NHL history.

KEN DANEYKO

If a hockey sculptor could create the perfect tough guy physique, Mister Devil could have been the model. Rock solid in his own zone, this mountain of a man began his ice cop job at the dawn of the New Jersey franchise and irrepressibly played a two-fisted game until his retirement after winning his third Stanley Cup in 2003. Critics have credited Dano for helping New Jersey win its first playoff after he neutralized Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine throughout the series. "I wish we had Ken," LaFontaine told friends when the tournament was over.

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BOBBY HOLIK

If ever there was an all-purpose forward who could do everything well, this big Czech -- now an American citizen -- was it. As Devils historian, Noam Kogen's scouting report noted, "Holik also knew how to play the gritty game and never backed down from anyone." Center for Randy McKay and Mike Peluso on the Devils notorious "Crash Line," Holik had the knack for infuriating the foe and could back up his belligerence with his big mitts.

JIM KORN

When Lou Lamoriello took over stewardship of the Devils during the summer of 1987, he immediately cited the club's lack of gumption as a major flaw. He wasted no time in seeking a remedy and began by signing heavyweights. The statuesque Korn led the parade of toughies who gave the franchise the fighting spirit epitomized by the Devs energetic playoff surge in the spring of 1988. Jim's staggering 352 penalty minutes as a Devil is a testimony to his melee mania. "If anyone was set on taking a shot at the Devils' up-and-coming young talent," historian Falkowski noted, "a guy like Korn was there to stop it."

DAVID MALEY

I call him "Jim Korn Lite." A slightly more streamlined version of battler Korn mentioned above, the Wisconsin-born and Minnesota-developed forward was another acquisition via Montreal. Unlike the more sinister-appearing Korn, Maley was a smiley guy who previously had starred with the Wisconsin University Badgers. When he arrived at the Meadowlands for the 1987-88 season, coach Jim Schoenfeld knew he had a rah-rah guy who could spur his hockey club. Sure enough, Maley played a big part in the surge that gained the first playoff berth in the club's history.

HECTOR MARINI

Almost forgotten except for the precious few historians such as my pal, George Falkowski, Hector The Protector arrived in New Jersey via a stint with the Islanders immediately prior to the Devils opening campaign.
"Marini brought grit, toughness and credibility to his new team," commented Falkowski. To Marini's credit, he was the Devils' All-Star representative that season. All things considered, his 17 goals, 107 penalty minutes and aggressive play was all the high command could have wished for in the inaugural campaign.

RANDY MCKAY

What a "get" this guy was in the aforementioned Troy Crowder deal. A relative unknown in Detroit, McKay fitted like a glove on the "Crash Line" in New Jersey, working left wing with Bobby Holik at center and Mike Peluso on the other side. Deftly, McKay combined the feistiness of Peluso and the smarts of Holik to emerge as one of the most valuable Devils on the club's Cup-winners. Randy boasted a fighter's snarl and kayo-ready fists. Together they made him an opponent not to mess with, no matter the circumstances. To top it all, McKay had a knack for scoring some of the team's biggest playoff goals. Falkowski: "His overtime goal against the Bruins in the 1995 playoffs gave the Devils a 3-1 series lead and all but ended the series." His two Stanley Cup rings provide another indication of Randy's worth as a fighter and scorer.

MIKE PELUSO

After meeting sweetheart-of-a-guy Peluso away from the rink, it's baffling to learn that he ranked among the NHL's most intense heavyweights. But menacing Mike understood his role and played it to a hilt. That helps explain the tough blend provided by the Crash Line. While he lacked the smooth skating style or the mean streak of a McKay, Peluso provided the fiery chemistry and overall intimidation factor that made the puck-crashers so effective. But underneath Peluso's ferocious facade was a really soft-hearted guy. So overwrought was Mike with emotion near the end of the 1995 Stanley Cup-winning game that he wept uncontrollably on the bench, unable to take his final shift on the ice. It remains one of the most touching scenes in NHL annals.

BRENDAN SHANAHAN

The first true Devils' power forward, Shanny's fistic prowess was overshadowed by his all-around excellence as a productive forward who could do just about everything well. For the most part, opponents stayed away from Brendan's knuckles. It was known throughout the league that there wasn't an ice cop on any team that frightened Shanny and the Devils were all the better for it.

SCOTT STEVENS

By the time this incredible hulk landed in East Rutherford, he had established himself as one of the most feared -- if not the most feared -- players in the NHL. But his fame climbed even higher as Devils captain and three-time Stanley Cup winner. Destructive body checks that torpedoed the likes of monstrous Eric Lindros and Paul Kariya were matched in excellence by scoring prowess and the acme of leadership. Or, as pal Falkowski puts it, "It says something when a player is such a good fighter that other players stop fighting him." Scott's 13 years in New Jersey matched the golden age of the franchise.l

TURNER STEVENSON

A Montreal Canadiens first-round Draft pick, the Prince George, British Columbia native arrived in New Jersey for the 2000-01 campaign. The rugged right winger immediately bonded with the fans who adored his gung-ho style of play. Writing in his book, Players, author Andrew Podnieks described Stevenson's success formula: "He developed into a scrapper and fourth-liner who could contribute without being a detriment." His clutch goals in the 2003 playoffs helped New Jersey win its third Stanley Cup.

PAT VERBEEK

Talk about tough, this compact native of Sarnia, Ontario survived a horrific farm accident in which he lost a thumb -- later found and sewed back on -- yet returned to be a Devils offensive ace. Often referred to as "The Little Ball of Hate," the undersized forward never shirked a fight with the biggest of foes. A successful bout with Rangers Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch, helped propel the Devils to their first playoff berth in the spring of 1988.

JOHN WENSINK

Arguably the best, tireless fighter in Devils annals, Jumpin' John made an indelible impression despite having played only 42 games in 1982-83; along with 135 penalty minutes. "On a team full of castoffs and hopefuls, Wensink showed Jersey fans he would stand up and step up against anyone," recalled historian Falkowski. "Most memorable was his bout with Pittsburgh's Bennett Wolf that involved some hair-pulling by Wolf."

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

This list could go on and on because there were so many other superior scrappers. The following are five who you might remember:
- Jim McKenzie: A terrific team player and first-rate ice cop. - Cam Janssen: There was a lot more offense in his fists than his hockey stick. - Reid Simpson: A graduate of the Albany River Rats, this compact crusher was around just long enough to be remembered as an eager belter. - Kryzstof Oliwa: This towering figure proved that European toughies knew how to adapt to the NHL fury. - Phil Russell: He's fondly remembered as a versatile defender who delivered Scott Stevens-type checks before Scotty arrived in the Garden State.