GDT: San Jose Sharks @ Toronto Maple Leafs, March 3, 2025, 7:30pm, Prime Time

[PanniniClaus]

Alex Steeves: Can’t Crack the Lineup and Sent to Minors​

Alex Steeves had his chance and didn’t (at least this time) make it count. On Sunday, he was reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies. The 25-year-old forward made a small impact with the Maple Leafs, contributing a goal and an assist in three games after being called up on Feb. 18. Steeves returns to the Marlies, where he has been a standout this season. He leads the AHL in goals with 29, adding 17 assists in 40 games.

From a roster management perspective, I get this.. but he's better than Dewar or Reaves as a fourth liner, and likely deserves a shot higher up in the lineup. He's got to be a bit frustrated... two points in three games, what has anyone who will play on the fourth line done lately?

Be interesting to hear what was communicated to him. He can't do much more in the minors.

 

[nuck]

Alex Steeves: Can’t Crack the Lineup and Sent to Minors​

Alex Steeves had his chance and didn’t (at least this time) make it count. On Sunday, he was reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies. The 25-year-old forward made a small impact with the Maple Leafs, contributing a goal and an assist in three games after being called up on Feb. 18. Steeves returns to the Marlies, where he has been a standout this season. He leads the AHL in goals with 29, adding 17 assists in 40 games.

From a roster management perspective, I get this.. but he's better than Dewar or Reaves as a fourth liner, and likely deserves a shot higher up in the lineup. He's got to be a bit frustrated... two points in three games, what has anyone who will play on the fourth line done lately?

9 minutes. 10 minutes. 5 minutes. Benched. Two points and plus 3 in 3 games. He'll be back.

 

[Magic Man]

Alex Steeves: Can’t Crack the Lineup and Sent to Minors​

Alex Steeves had his chance and didn’t (at least this time) make it count. On Sunday, he was reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies. The 25-year-old forward made a small impact with the Maple Leafs, contributing a goal and an assist in three games after being called up on Feb. 18. Steeves returns to the Marlies, where he has been a standout this season. He leads the AHL in goals with 29, adding 17 assists in 40 games.

From a roster management perspective, I get this.. but he's better than Dewar or Reaves as a fourth liner, and likely deserves a shot higher up in the lineup. He's got to be a bit frustrated... two points in three games, what has anyone who will play on the fourth line done lately?

I think Steeves ignited a bit of a fire in Holmberg and Robertson, which cooled the desire for Steeves in the lineup. Since Steeves scored his first goal and Pontus brought him the puck on the bench. Pontus has 6 points and Robertson has 5 points both in 4 games played. Steeves was supposed to prove why he was a better solution than Holmberg, who it would have been easy to toss on waivers before his explosion.

 

[ACC1224]

Be interesting to hear what was communicated to him. He can't do much more in the minors.

Not having to go through waivers makes him the easy choice.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Not having to go through waivers makes him the easy choice.

Yes - I was hoping they sent him down with some encouragement and strong possibility of being back after the deadline. That is just a hope.

Dewar looks like a rust bucket and Reaves.. well we know what we have.

 

[ACC1224]

Yes - I was hoping they sent him down with some encouragement and strong possibility of being back after the deadline. That is just a hope.

Dewar looks like a rust bucket and Reaves.. well we know what we have.

There's no reason why they wouldn't be encouraging to him.

 

[Schennanigans]

I don’t understand not having Steeves. I thought he played himself onto the team.

 

[DragoGrizzly]

Not having to go through waivers makes him the easy choice.

I get that, but I really do think he’s a better option than Reaves on the 4th line. The 4th line looked better than it has for a long time while when it was him, Lorentz and Kampf. He also had 2 points in 3 games, basically equaling Reaves/Dewars entire season worth of output. I really don’t think the Leafs are treating him fairly.

 

[ACC1224]

I get that, but I really do think he’s a better option than Reaves on the 4th line. The 4th line looked better than it has for a long time while when it was him, Lorentz and Kampf. He also had 2 points in 3 games, basically equaling Reaves/Dewars entire season worth of output. I really don’t think the Leafs are treating him fairly.

It's not about him, they need to do what they feel is best for the team and manage the cap.

 

[Macallan18]

That makes no sense, Steeves nor Reaves play anywhere close to 20 minutes.

I know, Steve’s sent down because Jarnkrok may play, just unhappy with our management and coaching and the potential argument that Jarnkrok is our deadline add.

 

[tmlms13]

This has all the makings of that classic Leafs loss to the worst team in the NHL

Conditions
1. B2B
2. 3 games in 4 days in 3 cities
3. First game back after long trip
4. Bad team that plays in Toronto once a year

Result:
-Leafs sleepwalk through the game lose 2-1
-Leafs: take team lightly down 3-0 after First and lose 5-4
-Sharks GTA natives amped up and play best game of year
-Sharks rookies do something "first time in their career"
-Sharks Goalie has best game of year

 

[DragoGrizzly]

It's not about him, they need to do what they feel is best for the team and manage the cap.

But in this case, it’s bad for the team. Steeves in over Reaves makes the team better, no?

 

[Evilhomer]

This has all the makings of that classic Leafs loss to the worst team in the NHL

Conditions
1. B2B
2. 3 games in 4 days in 3 cities
3. First game back after long trip
4. Bad team that plays in Toronto once a year

Result:
-Leafs sleepwalk through the game lose 2-1
-Leafs: take team lightly down 3-0 after First and lose 5-4
-Sharks GTA natives amped up and play best game of year
-Sharks rookies do something "first time in their career"
-Sharks Goalie has best game of year

Or the leafs win 5-1 in one of the least interesting games of the season. You guys are afraid of your own shadow. This game will never be in doubt, more because of just how bad the sharks are rather than how good the leafs are.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

So this is another game that is only on Amazon Prime, yeah?

 

[SkateSave]

Hopefully the Pens game was enough wake up for the team to shore up defensively in this game. If Stolarz is normal Stolarz, it should be a W.

 

[notDatsyuk]

San Jose has surrendered 61 goals in their last 13 games. They have two wins in their last 19 games.

They are last in points, last in goals against, 4th last in goals for, 8th worse in PP%, 9th worst PK.

In all seriousness, just show up on time, and this should be a win. Practice the PK, get some goals, and some momentum. Also, please shore up the D, it was terrible against the Penguins.

Sounds like they are about on a par with Pittsburgh - since we're not on a back-to-back, tonight should be an easy stomping, just like yesterday.

 

[Sypher04]

I know, Steve’s sent down because Jarnkrok may play, just unhappy with our management and coaching and the potential argument that Jarnkrok is our deadline add.

Last I checked there is still 5 days until the deadline.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I don’t understand not having Steeves. I thought he played himself onto the team.

He can clear waivers (not saying Reeves wouldn’t).

Which would you rather have getting 5 minutes here and which getting 20 minutes there?

His time will come.

 

[Kazparov]

This game TOTALLY feels like a scheduled loss.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Now that we have Jarnkork we have the final piece of the puzzle to go all the way

 

[Macallan18]

Last I checked there is still 5 days until the deadline.

Lets see

 

[Commander Clueless]

Now that we have Jarnkork we have the final piece of the puzzle to go all the way

Can he play C?

 

[Schennanigans]

This game TOTALLY feels like a scheduled loss.

Yeah. Not feeling it tonight.

 

[rojac]

Last I checked there is still 5 days until the deadline.

4 days. The deadime is Friday March 7. Today is Monday March 3.

But who's counting?

 

[Anthrax442]

I don’t understand not having Steeves. I thought he played himself onto the team.

Musical chairs. Music stopped, he is out of a chair