Steeves' 95th goal came on a shorthanded breakaway during the first period of Friday's game against Laval.
Steeves' 95th goal came on a shorthanded breakaway during the first period of Friday's game against Laval.
Alex Steeves now holds two franchise records with the Toronto Marlies.
The 25-year-old scored his 95th goal with the Marlies, passing Ryan Hamilton for the Marlies' goals title. Hamilton had 94 goals with AHL Toronto from 2009 to 2013.
"Yeah, it meant a lot," Steeves said on Friday after Toronto's 5-2 loss to the Laval Rocket.
"It wasn't the moment, it was the culmination of everything that led up to it that means a lot to me. The opportunities I've been afforded with the Marlies have been nothing short of incredible for me and my family. I consider myself the byproduct of all the hard work behind the scenes that everyone from within this organization, my family, they just constantly are in my corner helping me succeed.
"A lot goes into it, I can assure you that. But it's more than just me. I've been given a lot of opportunities with the Marlies from coaches, players. People are constantly trying to build me up as a person, so I'm the fortunate one who gets to go out there and reap the benefits every day."
Although it wasn't the result the Marlies wanted, head coach John Gruden was proud of Steeves for hitting the milestone.
"That's a great accomplishment. An individual accomplishment but I'm sure he'd be the first guy to say I'll take that back for any day for a win. That's the type of teammate he's turned out to be," Gruden said.
"Hopefully he can come back and score again tomorrow and we can get a different and better result."
Along with his 95 goals, Steeves has 100 assists for 195 points in 223 AHL games since joining the organization in 2021. He broke the Marlies' franchise points record on Dec. 10 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Kris Newbury previously held the record with 168 points in 198 games with the Marlies from 2005 to 2009.
Steeves has appeared in 11 NHL games with the Maple Leafs, registering one assist while averaging 9:15 of ice time. Since entering the organization, Steeves has transformed his game from being a goal scorer to a full 200-foot player.
He even said himself on Friday night that he's grown a lot since signing with the club in March 2021.
"It's definitely something to reflect on," Steeves said.
"I think it's just a lot of maturity, learning what it takes to be a pro every day. And that's my advice for any young guy in this league. Not that I'm an old guy, but it is my fourth year. It's just, I've tried to enjoy the ride and just get better every day and really lean into the team and enjoy all of the incredible resources this organization gives us.
"For me, I'm just constantly trying to add details to my game that will help me be a better pro and a better teammate. It's definitely a journey for sure and I think I'm a very different person and player than I was when I showed up in 2021."
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