<p>Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alex Steeves is getting an opportunity to practice with the team as the 4 Nations Face-Off break draws to a close.</p>
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<p>He was <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/calle-jarnkrok-returns-practice-maple-leafs-call-up-alex-steeves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called up ahead of their practice Tuesday</a>, their first since the pause in the action to make way for the in-season tournament. Steeves was spotted on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and Matthew Knies, though that was likely done as a placeholder with the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander not back with the team just yet.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen at the time of filing how long Steeves&#8217; second stint with the Leafs this season will last and if he will end up getting into games when play resumes on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, the Toronto Marlies&#8217; leading scorer will have to make the most of his opportunity and convince the coaching staff that he deserves a look.</p>
<p>Head coach Craig Berube was asked by reporters what Steeves will need to do to stick with the NHL squad long-term and he boiled it down to taking advantage of what is in front of him.</p>
<p>&#8220;Opportunity is everything, for sure, and the situation is everything for a lot of players,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He probably needs a good opportunity and a good situation. But that might happen here. We don’t know that right now. We are where we are and we will see how it goes. But he has played some games this year for sure and been a pretty effective player for us up here with limited ice time.&#8221;</p>
<p>Berube added that he got to watch the Marlies play at their Family Day matinee at Scotiabank Arena on Monday and signed out Steeves&#8217; performance as outstanding. In what was one of his best games of the AHL season so far, he picked up a goal and two assists to help guide the team to a 7-2 win over Laval Rocket.</p>
<p>With that showing, it brought his totals on the season to 46 points (29 goals and 17 assists) in 40 games played which is good enough for third in the AHL in scoring behind only Chris Terry and Andrew Poturalski. It helped earn Steeves a spot in the 2025 AHL All-Star game for a second consecutive campaign. Yet it has not been enough to crack the Leafs&#8217; roster penalty as it has only gotten him into 11 NHL games spread across four seasons up to this point.</p>
<p>Although he is surely feeling frustrated for not yet making the jump to the NHL after dominating in the league below, Steeves is focused on being the best he can be regardless of where he is needed.</p>
<p>&#8220; For me, it&#8217;s not thinking about it too much, wherever I get slotted in, or whatever it may be. The bottom line is I&#8217;m here to help the team win games if they need me,&#8221; he said to reporters. &#8220; Not reading into being perfect or anything like that or what type of role you should play. I think nobody knows the best version of my game better than myself and just having confidence in that.&#8221;</p>
<p>Steeves will be a Group 6 UFA at season&#8217;s end if he goes unsigned so the future remains uncertain for Steeves in the Leafs organization. <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-hope-it-happens-here-if-not-its-going-to-work-somewhere-else-this-could-alex-steeves-last-chance-to-show-he-belongs-with-the-maple-leafs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He has stated</a> that while his desire remains to make it work in Toronto, he is prepared to take his talents elsewhere because he has confidence in his abilities to make it work in the NHL. There is plenty of reason to believe that he is at least deserving of a longer look given how well he has done with the Marlies and the need the Leafs have for secondary scoring.</p>
<p>If there is anyone on the team Steeves can look up to in terms of not giving up despite the mounting odds is the success story of his good friend Bobby McMann. After working his way up from the ECHL, he secured a spot on the team midway through last season and has become a mainstay ever since. Nothing was given to McMann and he had to earn the opportunities he got and make the most of them when they came.</p>
<p>He said that seeing McMann break through knowing how many others like him are stuck in the same spot gives him the belief and push to keep giving it his all every night.</p>
<p>&#8220; I would definitely say early in my career, maybe I&#8217;d wait for the phone to ring,&#8221; he said. &#8220; Now I think just with maturity and perspective, I think that&#8217;s at times maybe good because it can give you a push to really take every game as an opportunity down there.  But now I&#8217;ve gotten to the point where I&#8217;m mainly just thinking about wherever I am, what can I do to be my best every day?  Everything else will be a byproduct after that.&#8221;</p>
<p>The Leafs resume their season on Saturday against the Hurricanes with puck drop scheduled for 7 pm.m EST.</p>
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alex Steeves is getting an opportunity to practice with the team as the 4 Nations Face-Off break draws to a close.
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He was <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/calle-jarnkrok-returns-practice-maple-leafs-call-up-alex-steeves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called up ahead of their practice Tuesday</a>, their first since the pause in the action to make way for the in-season tournament. Steeves was spotted on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and Matthew Knies, though that was likely done as a placeholder with the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander not back with the team just yet.

It remains to be seen at the time of filing how long Steeves' second stint with the Leafs this season will last and if he will end up getting into games when play resumes on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, the Toronto Marlies' leading scorer will have to make the most of his opportunity and convince the coaching staff that he deserves a look.

Head coach Craig Berube was asked by reporters what Steeves will need to do to stick with the NHL squad long-term and he boiled it down to taking advantage of what is in front of him.

"Opportunity is everything, for sure, and the situation is everything for a lot of players," he said. "He probably needs a good opportunity and a good situation. But that might happen here. We don’t know that right now. We are where we are and we will see how it goes. But he has played some games this year for sure and been a pretty effective player for us up here with limited ice time."

Berube added that he got to watch the Marlies play at their Family Day matinee at Scotiabank Arena on Monday and signed out Steeves' performance as outstanding. In what was one of his best games of the AHL season so far, he picked up a goal and two assists to help guide the team to a 7-2 win over Laval Rocket.

With that showing, it brought his totals on the season to 46 points (29 goals and 17 assists) in 40 games played which is good enough for third in the AHL in scoring behind only Chris Terry and Andrew Poturalski. It helped earn Steeves a spot in the 2025 AHL All-Star game for a second consecutive campaign. Yet it has not been enough to crack the Leafs' roster penalty as it has only gotten him into 11 NHL games spread across four seasons up to this point.

Although he is surely feeling frustrated for not yet making the jump to the NHL after dominating in the league below, Steeves is focused on being the best he can be regardless of where he is needed.

" For me, it's not thinking about it too much, wherever I get slotted in, or whatever it may be. The bottom line is I'm here to help the team win games if they need me," he said to reporters. " Not reading into being perfect or anything like that or what type of role you should play. I think nobody knows the best version of my game better than myself and just having confidence in that."

Steeves will be a Group 6 UFA at season's end if he goes unsigned so the future remains uncertain for Steeves in the Leafs organization. <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-hope-it-happens-here-if-not-its-going-to-work-somewhere-else-this-could-alex-steeves-last-chance-to-show-he-belongs-with-the-maple-leafs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He has stated</a> that while his desire remains to make it work in Toronto, he is prepared to take his talents elsewhere because he has confidence in his abilities to make it work in the NHL. There is plenty of reason to believe that he is at least deserving of a longer look given how well he has done with the Marlies and the need the Leafs have for secondary scoring.

If there is anyone on the team Steeves can look up to in terms of not giving up despite the mounting odds is the success story of his good friend Bobby McMann. After working his way up from the ECHL, he secured a spot on the team midway through last season and has become a mainstay ever since. Nothing was given to McMann and he had to earn the opportunities he got and make the most of them when they came.

He said that seeing McMann break through knowing how many others like him are stuck in the same spot gives him the belief and push to keep giving it his all every night.

" I would definitely say early in my career, maybe I'd wait for the phone to ring," he said. " Now I think just with maturity and perspective, I think that's at times maybe good because it can give you a push to really take every game as an opportunity down there.  But now I've gotten to the point where I'm mainly just thinking about wherever I am, what can I do to be my best every day?  Everything else will be a byproduct after that."

The Leafs resume their season on Saturday against the Hurricanes with puck drop scheduled for 7 pm.m EST.

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Craig Berube explains what Alex Steeves needs to do to stick with the Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) skates with the puck defended by Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) in the third period at Little Caesars Arena.

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