Matt Vautour: Under-the-radar Bruins signee believes he can be a steal

Alex Steeves was 13 when his family endured the 53-mile drive through heavy Friday night traffic on I-93 from Bedford, New Hampshire to TD Garden.

His parents had managed to get tickets for Game 4 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals for Alex and his two brothers. And since the Bruins had surprised the favored Penguins in each of the first three games, they had a chance to see a clinching victory.

Like his Canada-native father, Alex, who was born in Minnesota, had adopted the newly reinstated Winnipeg Jets as his team. But he loved hockey, liked the Bruins and was caught up in the excitement around that team, which was trying to win its second Stanley Cup in three seasons.

“Being a kid there in school in those years when Brad Marchand really came onto the scene and they obviously had (Zdeno) Chara and (Patrice) Bergeron leading the way,” he said. “I’ll never forget just the buzz around even my school in New Hampshire and New England.”

“My dad and my mom brought us three boys to that game,” he continued. “We got dinner at this hole-in-the wall Italian restaurant beforehand. It was a big gift to us.”

That night, they saw Adam McQuaid score the game’s only goal early in the third period and Tuukka Rask and the Bruins defense took care of the rest as Boston celebrated.

“It was a super special day,” Steeves said. “I remember it vividly.”

That night was among the many reasons why Steeves, who is now a 25-year-old left wing, already had warm feelings for New England when he signed with the Bruins as a free agent on July 1. Steeves was born in Minnesota and lives there in the offseason, but he spent most of his childhood in New Hampshire.

But he didn’t realize just how much the region still loved him until the hours and days after his one-year deal with the Bruins was announced. That’s when old friends, neighbors and classmates began reaching out.

Steeves left the Granite State abruptly in the middle of his sophomore year at Bedford High School to play in the USHL.

He played with his older brother Matt at Sioux City in 2015-16 and spent two years with Dubuque before signing at Notre Dame where he played for three years. Other than the few friends from Bedford that he’s stayed in touch with, Steeves assumed the others, like him, had moved on to college and careers.

He didn’t know that many had been keeping track of him.

“It’s amazing how many people from like fifth, sixth, seventh grade, eighth grade and early high school have reached out to me who I haven’t really talked to since then,” Steeves said. “My physical science lab partner from seventh grade reached out to me via Instagram and DMed me and was like ‘Oh my God, no way!’ So many people have just been following along. I’m so lucky to have that kind of support and hear from those people.”

Depending on how closely they followed Steeves, they saw him become an All-Big 10 in three seasons with the Fighting Irish. As a junior, he had 32 points in 29 games, making him one of the most sought-after undrafted free agents in 2021.

He chose the Maple Leafs and quickly became a standout offense player in the AHL for them. His point totals went up every year for the Marlies, peaking with 36 goals and 26 assists for 62 points in 59 games last year.

But the Maple Leafs were among the NHL’s top scoring teams in 2024-25 with a roster that featured five 25-goal scorers and didn’t need another potential scorer.

Steeves never got a chance to find his footing in the NHL with 14 games over four seasons.

“There’s no ill-will. I had 4 of the best years of my life in Toronto with the Leafs and the Marlies,” he said. “I felt like I got better every year.”

But when he became a free agent on July 1, he was looking for someplace where his skills fit a need.

There was a lot to like about Boston. In addition to his fondness for the region, he was looking forward to playing with ex-Notre Dame teammate Andrew Peeke, former Marlies linemate Fraser Minten and Casey Mittelstadt, who he’s become close to through Minnesota hockey connections.

But all of that was secondary to opportunity.

The Bruins, who dumped age and salary at the trade deadline, have jobs to be won. They were one of the NHL’s lowest-scoring teams last year and didn’t sign an established scorer in free agency.

They’re hoping that Steeves or fellow under-the-radar signee Matej Blumel (39 goals, 33 assists in 67 AHL games) is ready to break out in the NHL.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney hit the jackpot with that approach in 2023 when he signed Morgan Geekie, who bloomed late with 33 goals for Boston last year, after being miscast in Seattle.

But similar lottery tickets Riley Tufte, Max Jones and Anthony Richard have failed to produce winning numbers in Boston.

Steeves is confident he can deliver if given the chance.

“I have a core belief in that vision of myself being a goal scorer in the NHL. It’s up to me to really work my butt off this summer,” he said. “I think there’s opportunity in Boston, but it’s up to me to grab a hold of that and get better this summer and be better than I was last year and bring something to the team that’s worth something.”

It figures to be a spirited camp. Steeves will be battling quite a few players for a middle-six roster spot.

“It’s the first time in a while I’m gonna be really going into a camp trying to make a first impression with an organization,” he said. “It’s just being in as good of a headspace as I can be to show that I belong and having that confidence in myself that I really do. …I’m as invigorated and excited for this season as I ever have been in my entire life, and that’s saying something.”

He’s excited to do it in New England. While it will be nice to see familiar faces, Steeves wants to give his old friends and acquaintances something.

He’s hoping to be part of the group that helps the Bruins get back to the playoffs and rekindles the vibe he remembered at the game back in 2013.“It’s just an exciting opportunity to hopefully be a part of a group of players who come in and reach their potential and help re-elevate the team back to the playoffs and the standards of the organization as quickly as possible,” Steeves said. “For me that’s really exciting.”

Read the original article on MassLive.

Matt Vautour: Under-the-radar Bruins signee believes he can be a steal

Tags: