After having received another shot at the NHL-level, Maple Leafs forward Alex Steeves is going out of his way to do everything he can to remain with the big club.
For a long time, fans have been wondering why the Toronto Maple Leafs refused to give Alex Steeves a real opportunity at the NHL-level.
With how inept their secondary scoring has been over the years - and especially this season - Steeves has been a very consistent performer in the minors for the Toronto Marlies but often got overlooked for players who brought more grit and physicality.
With the Maple Leafs in need of an extra body after Max Pacioretty had hurt himself during a practice session with the NHL on break due to the 4 Nations Face-Off, Steeves was given the call as he looked to make good on his 5th opportunity in the NHL.
His previous stints combined for just 11 games over 4 seasons but the Minnesota native stuck to his guns and came through in a big way in his first game back with a goal to open the scoring against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Steeves would later add an assist to finish off his night and has since played in the proceeding two games against Chicago and Boston. With Max Pacioretty potentially close to a return, that could end Steeves' stint at the NHL level but he's doing everything in his power to show he's got what it takes physically and mentally.
With the Leafs practice session having come to a close yesterday, Steeves remained on the ice and was practicing on his one timers with former captain John Tavares.
Rather than accepting his 4th line role that saw him play just 5:41 against the Boston Bruins, Steeves was working off the clock to perfect his craft and there's no better player to team up with than the veteran Tavares, who has plenty of knowledge to share.
Across 228 games in the AHL, Steeves has tallied 98 goals and 200 points, including a career-high 29 goals in just 40 games so far this season. He was recently named to the AHL All-Star Classic for his efforts and is well on track to shatter his previous bests.
However, the 25-year-old would probably trade a career-season in the minors for a taste of consistent ice-time at the NHL level if he had the opportunity.
Practicing after everyone had already left the ice surface and trying to perfect a craft he's already pretty successful at doing, is a good way to earn respect from the front office, coaching staff, teammates, and even the fan base.
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