Alex Steeves just got a summer opening, and Marco Sturm now has another Bruins forward heading into Team USA camp.

That development came out of Friday's roster news, when Steeves was named to Team USA for the upcoming World Championship in Switzerland.

It's a real turn because the first Bruins names tied to the U.S. group were Mason Lohrei, James Hagens, and Sean Kuraly after Boston's season-ending media session.

Kuraly never made the final trip, with a reported logistical issue taking him off that path.

That left the door open, and Steeves walked right through it.

For Steeves, this matters because his first Bruins season had flashes, then a hard stop.

He scored against Toronto after arriving in November and showed he could keep up in NHL pace.

Over 43 games, he posted 9 goals and 7 assists while carrying a plus-6 rating.

He also averaged 11:56 a night, which is enough usage to show Boston did give him a real look.

A fresh chance after a late-season fade for Alex Steeves

The problem is how it ended. Steeves was a healthy scratch down the stretch and stayed out during Boston's playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres.

That's why this Team USA assignment matters more than a line on a roster sheet.

It gives him games, structure, and a chance to get back in rhythm before training camp opens.

From Boston's side, this is also a read on internal depth.

A forward who was outside the lineup a few weeks ago now gets an international stage to push for a better spot on the fall depth chart.

Steeves won't carry the same spotlight as bigger names, and he doesn't need to.

If he skates with pace, gets to the crease, and helps on the forecheck, that alone can change the conversation.

The Bruins already know what the late-season version looked like.

Team USA now gives Steeves a shot to show there's more offense and more trust in his game than Boston saw at the end.

For a player trying to stick in the lineup next season, this is a clean reset. And for Steeves, it may be the best break he's had since pulling on a Bruins sweater.