Alex Steeves will be remembered as an all-time legend with the Toronto Marlies, breaking the franchise record for all-time goals on Friday evening.
Steeves scored his 95th goal with the Marlies overall, during Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Laval Rocket.
Here is how Steeves broke the record, slipping past the Rocket’s defence for a short-handed breakaway in the first period:
“It wasn’t the moment, it was the culmination of everything that led up to it that means a lot to me,” Steeves said to Nick Barden of The Hockey News. “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.”
Steeves has been a constant force for the Marlies, recording 26 goals and 41 points in 35 games this season. He hasn’t had the same impact at the NHL level, going four games without a point, but he could be a potential call-up for the Leafs during the latter stages of the regular season. Toronto signed Steeves to a one-year contract worth $775,000 in August, which amounts to the NHL minimum.
“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,” Steeves said. “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.”
Steeves has spent four seasons with the Maple Leafs organization and has been a fixture for the Marlies. The 25-year-old seems to be on the verge of becoming a potential NHL regular, and now holds two franchise records, passing Kris Newbury earlier this season for the most points in Marlies history.
