Toronto Maple Leafs sign Cup winner to a PTO
While news broke that the Edmonton Oilers inked superstar Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year extension making him the highest paid player in NHL history, the Toronto Maple Leafs also made big news by signing Steve Lorentz to a Professional Tryout for the upcoming training camp.
While he may not put up 100-point seasons, Lorentz does bring something to training camp that neither Draisaitl or any of the Toronto Maple Leafs superstars have and that is a Stanley Cup ring after hoisting professional sports best trophy this past spring as a member of the Florida Panthers.
All jokes aside and not to ruffle any Oilers fans feathers, Draisaitl is amazing, I’m jealous of the contract that was just signed.
The 28-year old Lorentz was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft (Mitch Marner draft) by the Carolina Hurricanes and was part of the 2018-19 Calder Cup winning Charlette Checkers after dressing in 12 playoff games and recording five points.
Toronto Maple Leafs sign Cup winner to a PTO
The Kitchner, Ontario native became a mainstay in the Hurricanes line-up as a rookie during the COVID shortened 2020-21 season recording eight points in 45 games averaging 10:26 of ice-time per night. Since his rookie season, Lorentz has gone on to play for three teams in three seasons as he added the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers to his resume.
During his stop in California, Lorentz played in all but two games for the Sharks that season and found himself a role on the penalty kill averaging nearly a 1:30 per game while shorthanded. The 6’4″ center showed some offensive ability as he chipped in with ten goals on the season, with one being on the powerplay and one being a man down.
Last summer, the Panthers acquired him along with a late draft pick for Anthony Declair and he saw a decreased role on a much stronger Florida team. This past season, Lorentz dressed in just 38 games and saw his lowest usage playing just 8:47 per night, however showed an increase in his physicality reaching nearly two hits per night despite his lower ice-time.
Lorentz found a role in the playoffs with the Panthers as he dressed in 16 of the 24 contests and even chipped in with a couple big goals. In Game 3 of the first round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the former Peterborough Pete would score the eventual game winning goal midway through the third period to give the team a commanding 3-0 series lead.
In Game 2 of the second round series against the Boston Bruins, with his team trailing the game and series 1-0, Lorentz would score two minutes into the second period to tie the game which would lead to an onslaught of goals with Florida taking the game 6-1.
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It is unlikely that Lorentz makes the Maple Leafs roster and even if he does he is likely a 13th forward, however, if he can do well in training camp it may give Brad Treliving an option to trade David Kämpf and put Lorentz in that role.
