Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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41 JANUARY 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED New Surroundings Are Serving Alex Steeves Well BY TODD D. BURLAGE I t's not unusual for an athlete in any professional sport to get a second chance to make a first impression. Re- locations and fresh starts are part of the business. But for former Fighting Irish forward Alex Steeves, his free-agency move in July from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Boston Bruins is adding a welcome jolt to what was a rather flatlined start to his NHL career. "The move is an opportunity for me, and you can go two ways with an op- portunity," Steeves told The Hockey News when he joined his new team in the summer. And so far so good. An undrafted free agent after becom- ing a star at Notre Dame from 2018-21, the St. Paul, Minn., native landed with Toronto in 2021 and spent four seasons there, splitting time between the Maple Leafs and the Toronto Marlies of the AHL — a developmental affiliate of the Leafs. Steeves, 25, left the Toronto organi- zation as the Marlies' all-time leading scorer with 105 goals, but managed only 1 goal in 14 games with the Maple Leafs during his four years there. Everything changed for Steeves July 1, when he signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Bruins worth $850,000. The investment from the proud fran- chise is paying off. Steeves has become a first-line player for Boston. Through games as of Dec. 7, he ranked tied for fifth on the Bruins with 6 goals in only 14 games played. Two times already with Boston this season (Nov. 26 and Dec. 2) Steeves scored 2 goals in a single game. That alone is three more total goals than he scored as a fourth-line player during his four seasons in Toronto. "With Boston, I just found that the opportunity to come here and be a part of a team that's trying to get back to a really good spot was something really enticing for a player like me," Steeves said of his new surroundings. "I'm hop- ing to be one of the many key pieces that come in to help rejuvenate things and blossom into a good player here." Steeves' impressive 0.43 goals per game average — coupled with some added ice-time opportunities because of injuries to teammates — has thrust him into a starting and expanding role. "I think Bruins fans should know that I lead with my work ethic," explained Steeves, whose minutes have jumped in the last month from about 10 per game to nearly 18. "I want to do a lot of things out there. But I really want to boil it down to being a physical goal scorer. I just need to focus on the things I can do. "And I think I'm going to have a long NHL career." NEXT MAN UP One man's misery is another's op- portunity, and that formula thrust In- dianapolis Colts backup quarterback Riley Leonard into his first extended NFL action Dec. 7, when starter Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achil- les injury. Leonard replaced Jones in the sec- ond quarter of the Colts' 36-19 loss to Jacksonville Dec. 7, and the 2024 Irish starter finished 18-of-29 passing for 145 yards with 1 interception while adding a 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the first touchdown of his NFL career. The final score and Leonard's num- bers weren't terrific, but the rookie backup — turned starter for the fore- seeable future — still drew solid praise from Colts head coach Shane Steichen. "I thought [Leonard] went in and competed his tail off pretty good," Stei- chen said. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Brandon Aubrey (Played at from 2013-16), PK, Dallas Cowboys, NFL Albeit in a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions Dec. 4, the two-time All-Pro tied his career high with 5 made field goals and 16 points scored. This marked the second time in a two-plus year NFL career that the St. Louis na- tive has gone 5 of 5 on his field goal attempts, and the fifth time he has scored 15 points or more in a game. Bryan Rust, (2010-14), RW, Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL The Pontiac, Mich., native enjoyed one of his best games of his season Dec. 1, when he tallied 1 goal and 2 assists in a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. It marked the third time this season the 33-year-old had scored 3 points in a game. Through games of Dec. 3, Rust had 8 goals and 13 assists, and his 21 points ranked third on the Penguins. Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings, NFL The Knoxville, Tenn., native recorded 4 tackles (3 solo) and added his first intercep- tion of the season and his fifth pass defended in a 31-0 win over Washington Dec. 7. Production has slipped some for the 14-year NFL veteran, but the 36-year-old Smith was still tied for 10th on Minnesota this season with 43 tackles, and his 851 career solo tackles are a franchise record. Steeves ranked tied for fifth on the Bruins with 6 goals in only 14 games played as of Dec. 7. PHOTO COURTESY BOSTON BRUINS I R I S H I N T H E P R O S