They almost literally thrust him into the lineup. Stephenson didn’t even get a morning skate as he was rushed from Hershey to Washington.
“The guys were kinda joking around, saying I was getting thrown in cold turkey,” Stephenson said with a smile. “It was good. I guess I just got an extra bit of rest. But when I got to the rink this afternoon, I was just kinda getting the legs going, just trying to feel good and try not to think about it too much. Just go out there and have fun.”
Stephenson played in his very first NHL game in the 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks
“It was kind of a whirlwind,” Stephenson said.