Practice Report: Steeves Embracing NHL Role, ‘Trying to Put my Best Foot Forward’ | Boston Bruins
Wednesday’s matchup against the New York Islanders is the fourth and final game of the Bruins’ road trip before returning to Boston for back-to-back games at TD Garden. The pace of the NHL schedule has been the biggest change for Steeves, he said.
“Every other day, you are playing a game, traveling, stuff like that. It seems like you’re either ramping up for a game or getting your body prepared to play the next one,” Steeves said. “That is a little different than the AHL schedule – more spread out.”
Steeves is adjusting his game to meet the Bruins’ needs. He has been leaning on fourth-line center stalwart Kuraly for some tips.
“I sat next to him at Warrior in training camp and still next to him there now. He’s just a really good personality, hard worker. He’s a guy who has been in the league for a while as a bottom-six player, which is really hard to do. Just trying to befriend him a little bit, become a good teammate and also just see the way he conducts himself,” Steeves said. “I talked to him after practice today. Just said, ‘Let’s have fun tomorrow, get the energy up’ and stuff like that. Excited to be on a line with him.”
Head coach Marco Sturm has appreciated the reliability Steeves has shown thus far, as well as his contributions on the penalty kill.
“I noticed already in preseason, he’s a guy I think coaches trust, I would say. I know he scored a lot of goals in the past, but I see him here, if he wants to play in this lineup, more as a checker,” Sturm said. “That means he is doing the dirty work, and I think he’s been pretty good. I also trust him on the PK. We don’t have enough, so I thought also he did a good job jumping in the last two, three games. At the end of the day, that’s what keeps him in the lineup, too.”
