No. 2: Alex Steeves
The Leafs recently resigned Alex Steeves, which means he could be due for a big year in the NHL this upcoming season. Having only played seven career NHL games, Steeves is looking to follow up his incredible AHL season by potentially serving as a Leafs full-time left-winger this year.
The 24-year-old scored 27 goals in the AHL last year and is arguably the team's most-ready NHL player. In three AHL seasons, he's proven that he can be a top-line player in that league and is ready for the next step.
This will be a huge training camp for Steeves though, as the competition is fierce at wing and centre.
Based on Max Domi, David Kampf and/or Pontus Holmberg most likely filling the third or fourth-line centre positions, the best way for Steeves to make the roster is through left-wing. He's essentially had three consecutive 20-goal seasons (scored 19 goals in 65 games in 2022-23) at the AHL level, so he's got some great offensive skills that could work well in the team's top-six.
If he can show that amount of skill playing in the AHL, imagine what he may be able to do alongside the Leafs future Hall-of-Famers? Even in those seven NHL games he's been called up for, he's essentially been summoned to the fourth-line, but there's a possibility if things go right that he could beat out McMann for that second line wing position