PROSPECTS: Steeves sees ‘massive’ opportunity with Panthers

Ben Steeves can’t remember a time when he didn’t have hockey stick in his hand.

“I have been playing hockey since I can remember,” the 21-year-old forward said in a recent interview with FloridaPanthers.com. “I don’t really have a specific time, but I know I started on rollerblades. My brothers played before me, so it was just in my blood and all I knew.”

After putting pen to paper on a two-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers on March 25, Steeves was on the ice just 48 hours later making his professional debut in the AHL, leading the Charlotte Checkers with six shots on goal in a 3-0 win over the Hartford Wolfpack on March 28.

While hockey has always been his lifelong passion, it’s now also his full-time job.

“It’s been good,” Steeves said of making the jump from the NCAA to the professional ranks. “I’ve acclimated quickly. Its fast, physical hockey and the execution is high. You’re playing with great players, too, so there’s a balance around you that kind of helps you in that process.”

After amassing 62 points (45 goals, 17 assists) in 72 games over two seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Steeves, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound sniper, usurprisingly wasted no time in picking up the first point of his professional career, notching an assist in a win over Hartford on April 6.

When asked about making adjustments, Steeves said it starts with slowing things down.

It’s a process that he describes as “relaxed execution.”

“It’s making plays and playing with speed, but not necessarily going 100 miles an hour,” Steeves said. “The reason being that in college you play 35 games, so people are rested and are going 120% every night. In the pros, it seems as if people pace themselves more and focus on longevity, execution and working hard, but also having the mindset that it’s a long season.”

Steeves, the youngest of three brothers, found early familiarity with hockey through his family, as both his father and brother were former skaters in the WHL. Additionally, his brother, Alex, is currently playing with the Toronto Marlies in AHL and has played in seven career NHL games with the Maple Leafs.

More than just a brother, Alex has also become a mentor for Ben.

“He’s talked about being consistent because of how long the season is and just playing my game because it’s no different,” Steeves said when asked about the advice he’s received from his older brother in recent weeks. “It’s just another hockey game, so go out there and play how I play.”

When it came to picking the Panthers, familiarity was important for Steeves.

After attending development camp in South Florida as an undrafted invitee by the Panthers in 2022, the Bedford, New Hampshire native knew it was a place he wanted to eventually find a way back to.

“I really liked the development staff and the organization,” Steeves said. “All the resources and everyone were awesome in that process. When it came down to decision time with Florida, I just got a really good feeling of their staff and how much they wanted me not only as a player, but as a person. It was comforting and made my decision easy, and the opportunity here is massive.”

With the Checkers having already clinched a place in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Steeves will now try to continue making some noise on an even bigger stage once the postseason gets underway.

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