Alex Steeves making the Maple Leafs regret letting him walk with latest offensive surge

Alex Steeves has become one of the best surprises of the Boston Bruins' season, a sharp contrast to how quietly he left the Toronto Maple Leafs as a UFA in the summer of 2025.

Now, the former NCAA product is carving out a vital role in Boston's lineup, scoring five goals in his last five games and earning the trust of head coach Marco Sturm.

Sturm recalled bringing Steeves up in a depth role, expecting him to kill plays and provide energy on the fourth line. But Steeves quickly exceeded those expectations.

Steeves' rise reflects both work ethic and maturity. He didn't hide his disappointment when he was sent down earlier in the season, but he handled it in a way that stuck with Sturm.

Steeves has backed up those words with pace, forechecking pressure and a shot that now threatens from the middle six. His emergence has made him hard to remove from the lineup, something few expected when he signed a modest one year deal after leaving Toronto.

For Boston, Steeves represents found money. For Toronto, his success may sting, given their need for inexpensive contributors who can skate, forecheck and finish. Steeves developed those traits in the Leafs system, but he's thriving in Boston's structure.

With five goals in five games and the trust of his coach, Steeves looks like a player who found the perfect fit. And the Bruins look smarter every game for giving him the opportunity. As for the Leafs, they could look back on Steeves as another "the one who got away" story.