The Boston Bruins are locking in a player who’s quietly carved out a meaningful role this season. Forward Alex Steeves has signed a two-year contract extension with the club, keeping him in Boston through the 2027-28 season. The deal carries a $1.625 million cap hit and signals the team’s belief in a player who’s taken the long road to NHL relevance.
Steeves, 26, has tallied eight goals and 14 points in 33 games this season - solid production for a depth forward who started the year in the AHL. What makes this extension notable isn’t just the stat line, though. It’s the journey behind it.
Undrafted out of Notre Dame, Steeves first made his mark with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints before heading to South Bend. After three years in college, he earned an entry-level deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021.
But breaking into Toronto’s NHL roster was no easy task. Over four seasons with the organization, he spent most of his time with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, appearing in just 14 NHL games.
Still, Steeves didn’t just hang around in the minors - he thrived. He became one of the AHL’s more reliable scorers, building a reputation as a skilled, high-motor forward who could contribute if given the right opportunity. That opportunity came last summer when Boston signed him to a one-year, $850,000 deal as a Group 6 unrestricted free agent.
The Bruins saw something in Steeves - and he’s rewarded their belief. After putting up eight points in nine games with the Providence Bruins early in the 2025-26 campaign, he earned a call-up to the big club and hasn’t looked back. Since then, he’s become a steady presence in the lineup, often skating alongside Fraser Minten, another former Leaf who arrived in Boston via the Brandon Carlo trade.
It’s been a season of proving people wrong for Steeves - and this extension is validation of the work he’s put in. Through 47 career NHL games, he’s posted eight goals and 14 points, all of which have come with the Bruins this season.
While those numbers might not leap off the page, context matters. He’s gone from fringe AHL call-up to a trusted piece in Boston’s forward group - and now he’s earned a multi-year deal to show he can keep building on that momentum.
With the ink dry on his new contract, Steeves is set to suit up again Thursday when the Bruins host the Vegas Golden Knights at TD Garden. If his recent play is any indication, he’ll continue making the most of every shift - and proving that sometimes, the best finds come from the most unexpected places.