The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Steven Lorentz on waivers on Thursday. Here are what might be a couple of reasons why the team made this decision. Also, an injury update on Nick Paul.
Following the Toronto Maple Leafs' final practice before heading to Arizona for an off-ice bonding trip, the team made a roster cut. The Maple Leafs announced on Thursday that Steven Lorentz has been placed on waivers.
Lorentz, 30, has played two seasons with the Maple Leafs since joining the club as a free agent for the 2024-25 season.
Last season, the left winger scored seven goals and 18 points in 71 games and averaged a career-high 11:52 of ice time per game.
Lorentz was strong for Toronto's fourth line when he first joined the team and didn't have a solidified spot on the roster. Since his first year, he has signed a three-year contract with the team at a $1.35-million salary cap hit.
What could be the reasoning behind this decision?
The Kitchener, Ont., native has been a one-dimensional player to some degree. He's a viable option for the penalty kill, but aside from that, he doesn't utilize his 6-foot-4 frame as he could and has only scored 10 goals in one NHL campaign on one occasion (2022-23 with the San Jose Sharks).
So while his style of game couldn't excel in some ways, the Maple Leafs might've found someone to fill his place on the fourth line, and that's right winger Zack MacEwen.
MacEwen, featuring in the NHL-heavy lineup on Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena, made his presence felt in different ways. The 30-year-old continued to play his physical style of game - getting into a scuffle at the tail end of the contest - playing hard on the forecheck and along the boards, while also contributing on the scoresheet
"Well, we like the physicality," Hiller said. "I mean, I know he scored last night, but I think what was equally or probably more, important to us was, you know, there was some stuff going on, and he was able to get in there fairly quickly and do his job."
Lorentz hasn't featured in the AHL since 2019-20, as a member of the Charlotte Checkers in the Florida Panthers organization.
If he were to be claimed by another NHL team within the next 24 hours, that would get the organization under the maximum number of standard contracts in the organization. Going into training camp, Toronto didn't have a free spot, with 50/50 standard contracts in the organization.
That would allow Toronto to keep defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who has joined the team this training camp on a PTO. He requires a standard contract to join the team officially for the regular season.
If he's not claimed, most of Lorentz's cap hit will come off the books, leaving a remaining $125,000 on the Maple Leafs' payroll.
Nick Paul was the other member of the Maple Leafs who didn't skate today, but his absence is injury-related.
Paul, 31, only played 4:42 of ice time in Wednesday's pre-season game against the Ottawa Senators at home. Head coach Jim Hiller didn't have an update following that game, but said he'd have more on Thursday after practice.
Here's what he said of Paul on Thursday.
"I'll just say it like this. Obviously, he didn't skate today," Hiller said. "That's nothing I think that we're overly concerned about. But we have to take it day by day. That's what I would leave it with."
He added that he can't say with certainty that he'll be available for the season opener on Tuesday. He, as well as Dakota Joshua, who skated with the Leafs today, will be travelling to Arizona for the team trip.
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