The theme of training camp in Boston this year is competition. The Boston Bruins are holding their most wide-open training camp in some time, with multiple roster spots up for grabs. 

Much of the story surrounding those spots has centered on Matej Blumel, a 25-year-old with clear top-six potential. Blumel's earned the praise, no doubt. Others point to Fraser Minten and Matthew Poitras, two highly-touted center prospects who could be a large part of Boston's future. 

Much less has been said about Alex Steeves, a July 1 signing alongside Blumel. Steeves, 25, put up sparkling numbers with the Toronto Marlies last season, scoring 36 goals and 62 points in his 59 games.

"It was a tough decision [to leave Toronto]," Steeves told The Hockey News. "I had a great four years in Toronto, but ultimately, although I wouldn't trade the last four years for anything, this was my first opportunity to test the market and see what was out there.

"With Boston, I just found that the opportunity to come here and be a part of a team that's trying to get back to a really good spot was something really enticing for a player like me, hoping to be one of many key pieces that come in to help rejuvenate things and blossom into a good player here. It's a tremendous organization in a great city."

Throughout camp, Steeves has shown a lethal shot from open ice, along with a willingness to go right to the dirty areas to fight for any goal he can get. He's battled hard and has regularly skated with Casey Mittelstadt and Marat Khusnutdinov, a potential third-line look for the Bruins.

Make no mistake about it, there's a massive opportunity for Steeves, just as much as there is for Blumel.

"It's definitely an opportunity," said Steeves. "Casey's a very, very talented player who sees the ice very well and has a ton of really good puck skills and high IQ. For me, it definitely shows me that the organization covets certain skills that I have and wants to see if I can do it at the NHL level with some really good players.

"It's an opportunity for me, and you can go two ways with an opportunity. [I’ve got to] just worry about the things I can control, which is being my best every day and getting better and better. So it's exciting, and I definitely am trying to get open and create space for a guy like Casey and Marat because they're great players."

He's shown some instant chemistry with Mittelstadt. 

Some of those skills Steeves refers to is playing big. He's only listed at 6'0, 199lbs. But you look at how he plays, he's playing like a 6'4 power forward with a heavy shot. Not only that, but Steeves can also skate pretty well. 

Throughout camp, what's stuck out is his nose for the net. Finding loose pucks and jamming them in, being an open man in the bumper, and sniping goals during special teams work. Steeves finds ways to score in all situations, something the Bruins desperately crave.

"I pride myself in being a guy who can score in a lot of different ways," said Steeves. "I definitely think my shot is pretty good, and that's a reason that I want [the puck on my stick]. I score a lot, but I also think it's just that hunger and wanting the puck and wanting to be a goalscorer.

"So if that means going to the net and banging in a rebound, then that means that. If it means having one go off my chest because I was net front, that's great. But I also think I can get loose in the slot, score on the rush, and just be a quick shooter. So I'm willing to do anything it takes to score because I love goal scoring."

Steeves knows his name might not pop the way others have throughout the summer and camp. His skill and ability to score from anywhere on the ice do the talking for him. He still has a lot to prove, and things he wants the Boston faithful to know about him.

"I think Bruins fans should know that I lead with my work ethic," said Steeves. "I'm a guy who, at the end of the day, I want to do a lot of things out there. But, I will really want to boil it down to being a physical goalscorer.

"A good game for me looks like I was one of the most physical players on the ice and shooting pucks and putting [pucks] in the net, keeping it simple, and hopefully good things come."

That physical presence is something he led with right away in his first unofficial game with the Bruins. 

In the Bruins' first preseason game, Steeves skated alongside Poitras and Blumel, a line that did not end up having the night they wanted. Still, Steeves recorded two shots, three hits, and blocked a shot.

His line also led the Bruins in ice time, despite being comprised of two new arrivals (Steeves and Blumel) who hadn't even practiced at the same time throughout camp.  

Head Coach Marco Sturm praised the young trio, citing how hard they worked and the care they had for their games, even despite some simple mistakes that plagued the entire roster.

Training camp is far from over. Steeves is likely to receive at least one more preseason game and continued looks with NHLers throughout the practice sessions. Every single day, Steeves is rounding out his game.

That's something that's been a big part of his career, whether as a professional or as a prospect, where he spent time in the USHL and NCAA, rounding out his game as a prospect.

"I really can consider myself to be a student of the game," said Steeves. "Someone who works really hard and can digest information over short and long periods of time, and take stuff in and just be better every single day. 

I think I'm definitely a player where if you give me the time and give me the opportunity to grow my confidence and learn kind of what kind of things work at the level, I think I'm definitely the type of player who can pick up on things and jump on it. I also think that as I've gotten older and more mentally mature, it's taken me less time at each level, too."

Consistently, Steeves shows year-over-year improvements at every level. In the USHL, he jumped from a season of six goals and 18 points in 53 games to 20 goals and 57 points in 55 games.

At Notre Dame, he posted just seven goals and nine points in 39 games as a freshman. In his sophomore year, he improved to 11 goals and 28 points in 36 games. In his junior year, he posted 15 goals and 32 points in 29 games. 

His numbers in the AHL mirror that trend, constantly improving year over year. From his attitude to his play style, Steeves fits the Bruins mold to a tee. It could end up being the shrewdest signing of the summer for Bruins' General Manager Don Sweeney, perhaps alongside Blumel.

Steeves finds himself right in the mix to make the team if camp ended today. His skill set is not one many Bruins possess. He's a self-described bruising goalscorer who is capable and willing to produce no matter where he's placed in the lineup. 

Even if he's not on the team on October 8, he's very likely to be the team's first call-up. He filled that role for the Toronto Maple Leafs last year, scoring one goal and two points in his seven NHL games. 

Still, it feels like Steeves is ready to break out in a big way. He just needs an opportunity, one that the Bruins are currently offering.