Alex Steeves always felt he was destined for more when it came to his professional hockey career. When he departed the Toronto Maple Leafs' organization last summer for the Boston Bruins, he was able to turn the page from a lack of opportunity and turned it into a win with his new home. Steeves was rewarded for his efforts this season with a new two-year extension worth $1.625 million per season that will kick in at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. In 33 games with the Bruins this season, Steeves has eight goals and six assists. Although he started this year with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, Steeves was called up early in the year and was essentially told early on to get a place to live full-time in Boston because he wasn't going back down to the minors. The Leafs signed Steeves in 2021, straight after his college days were over at the University of Notre Dame. Over four years, he dominated with the Toronto Marlies, where he currently holds the all-time franchise records for goals (105) and points (2016). But frustration set in when Steeves was rarely called up to the Leafs, playing just 14 NHL games during his four-year tenure. It seemed inevitable that the Steeves would leave the organization, which he was able to do as a Group 6 UFA at age 25 due to not enough games played at the NHL level, but enough years as a professional. Had he been called up a little more often, the Leafs could have squeezed at least another year of the player's rights. And perhaps he wouldn't have left if he could have crafted a full-time NHL role. Steeves exacted revenge against his former club, scoring his first goal with the Bruins against the Leafs as part of a 5-3 win on November 11. Primarily playing on the third line with former Leafs teammate Fraser Minten, Steeves has shown some added grit to his game, with 117 hits this season and has earned the trust from new head coach Marco Sturm. The raise is nearly double the $850,000 he signed on a one-way deal with the Bruins back in July.
