The Capitals drafted Stephenson in 2012 as a center and he made his NHL debut in the 2015-16 season with nine games and registering no points. 2016-17 was not an improvement as he played only four games, again with no points.
At 6 feet 203 lbs. Stephenson developed in the AHL with Capitals affiliate, Hershey Bears, where he served a unique role. He played center, winger, and at one point, defender.
Entering the 2017-18 season, Stephenson looked to excel at training camp but came up short. The Capitals waived him, and fortunately, all 30 other NHL teams passed on him, allowing Washington to keep him in the system.