Boston Bruins center Alex Steeves has played in some tough environments — Montreal, Toronto, Madison Square Garden — but on Monday he entered the Perkins School for the Blind’s gym to try his hand at a new sport: one which requires him to play blindfolded.
The NHL player visited the campus in Watertown to play goalball, a game designed for the blind and visually impaired. Because participants have a range of visual abilities, every player wears an blackout goggles so their vision is completely blocked.
Three players start on their hands and knees at either end of the court, and they alternate rolling the ball down the length of a basketball court toward the opposition’s goal. The large rubber balls have a bell inside so players can hear where it’s going.
Steeves has played in the NHL for five seasons, four in Toronto and this year with the Bruins. Through 38 games he has scored 9 goals and added 7 assists in 2025-26.
“This is my first full year in the NHL. So it’s been cool for me to find a home in Boston,” he said.
Before the game, Steeves said he wasn’t sure what to expect, but was optimistic.
“I’m hoping I’m going to be a natural. I consider myself a natural athlete, but I’m sure the kids here can school me a little bit and make me look silly,” Steeves said. “But I’m really excited to give it my all and really learn about what they play and I’m just excited to be here. I think it’s important athletes like myself to meet these kids who look up to us, and I can also learn about them, and trying to help me discover something really interesting.”
Perkins student Declan Cassidy gave some keys to playing goalball.
“With our teammates, we just need to use our voices, but also use any other cues so when we get the ball, we need to call out ‘got it,'” Cassidy said. “If we can’t find the ball, we need to call out, ‘loose’ so everybody else knows to start looking for it. Keeping everybody in the loop. Keeping everybody on that same, equal playing field. We might not have sight, but we have our other forms of communication.”
Steeves played four games, each several minutes long, with members of the Perkins Towerhawks goalball team. Each player was introduced for the crowd watching from the track circling the gymnasium.
“We have Julie at right wing. At center we have Alex Steeves from the Bruins. At leftwing we have Sarah,” the public address announcer said.
During the action, Steeves blocked a few shots, and rolled a couple goals. He and his teammates also let in a few of their own. About a dozen Towerhawks subbed in during the afternoon, but Steeves stayed on the court the whole time.
Cassidy said getting on the court with a professional athlete was a treat.
“It was really special,” Cassidy said. “Goalball is a favorite sport of mine. It’s a great team sport: lots of camaraderie, communication on the court. I love it. We’ve gone through a lot of practices (preparing) for this day. It’s been a great game.”
Steeves enjoyed his time playing along side the Towerhawks.
“It’s always fun getting out in the community and doing stuff, but this was a real pleasant surprise,” Steeves said. “I wasn’t totally familiar with the sport, but being able to have this opportunity to play four games. I was surprised they didn’t yank me out and send me to the bench a couple times, but I was able to stay in there for all four games, learn the rules, and get comfortable. I ran into some sharpshooters the last couple games. But I guess I’ve got a lot to work on.”
Cassidy had good reviews for Steeves first time playing goalball.
“He did pretty good,” Cassidy said. “Yeah, for a first timer, you know, someone who doesn’t play with balls on a daily basis.”
Steeves said he got a hang orient himself without being able to see.
“I felt like I was pretty good at feeling for the tape and the net and stuff like that, but a couple times when I saved the ball and then I didn’t have it right away and the ball was loose,” Steeves said. “I’m always relying on my vision and stuff like that, so maybe my hearing isn’t as good, and just trying to find the ball was really difficult for me. To be honest, all my saves were just lucky, I was just them hitting me. Sometimes I thought the ball was on one side and then it came on the other.”
He admired the Perkins students’ skills.
“They’re tremendous athletes. I was saying earlier to someone every sport is different,” Steeves said. “You use different parts of your mind and body. Some sports are more brute force, others are touch and using your brain. So it was just a real pleasant surprise today, getting to learn about this great sport and these great student athletes. So, I’m just happy I got to do this.”
