SUNRISE, Fla. — The Toronto Maple Leafs have been extracting solid value out of Troy Stecher since claiming him off waivers last month.

On Tuesday, Stecher scored his first goal with the club, opening the scoring with a shot from the point that beat Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

“I don't do it often, so it feels nice when you get one,” Stecher said after the game.“I told (Easton) Cowan and (Nick) Robertson I was going to get one tonight, and I actually did,” he added.

Seems like an easy solution for the professional. But there is a major caveat.

“The problem is, I tell myself that every game. I tell somebody that,” he admitted. “So it's nice to contribute. It was a big goal, obviously, at that moment, and it gave us a lead we never looked back from. I’m just happy to help.”

Stecher has always played with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Having bounced around the NHL with stops in Vancouver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Calgary, and Edmonton, it hasn’t always been easy for the 5-foot-10 defender to stick with a club.

But with the Leafs, he’s already helped a depleted defense shore up their right side, filling in for injured veterans Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo.

Stecher says telling someone he’s going to score is a “fake it until you make it” approach, but it’s clear the defenseman has found a home with the Leafs.

NHL Waivers: Maple Leafs Claim Troy Stecher Off Waivers From The Oilers The Toronto Maple Leafs claimed defenseman Troy Stecher off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube praised Stecher's immediate impact.

“He's playing with a ton of confidence right now. Very composed. Him and (Jake) McCabe look like they've got instant chemistry right now,” Berube said. “Stecher plays with pace out there. He closes on people, he skates, he gets up the ice—he's doing a lot of good things."

Berube added a note on Stecher's offensive skills: "I didn't know a ton about him, but I watch him on the blue line in the offensive zone, and he moves his feet extremely well and gets shots through.”

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