Steven Lorentz will be able to make his childhood dream a reality after securing a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
When speaking with reporters minutes after the signing was made official, Lorentz expressed his appreciation for this opportunity coming to fruition and the excitement of getting to share it with his family.
“Starting even before camp, coming down here, just going through the facility and starting to meet everybody, and then the little pre skates before camp and then going through camp, the whole process: everybody’s been very welcoming,” Lorentz said. “To be able to officially sign and be able to go forward with a group like this, it’s just super special. I’m excited to get things going.”
Steven Lorentz on Instagram: “How it started v How it’s going 😎”
They always come home…. 🥺🥲🍁 pic.twitter.com/4gFiXi4dKI
— din (@klooowry) October 7, 2024
Since joining the team on a PTO during training camp, Lorentz has proclaimed his enthusiasm for the chance to play for the team he grew up cheering for while growing up in Waterloo, Ontario. He easily could have jumped on any other opportunity for better security and money, but he took a chance on the Leafs without a guaranteed contract because he felt they were the right fit for him, both from a playing style standpoint, with the chance to earn himself another Stanley Cup.
While he now knows that his focus will need to shift his focus on the job required to make the goals come true, Lorentz couldn’t help but reflect on growing up watching Mats Sundin and the Leafs with his dad even when he should have been in bed sleeping.
“It was an opportunity that, you know, every kid would dream of, especially coming from this area of town or being just an hour away. It was my dream to be a Leaf my whole life,” Lorentz said. “Some of my best memories as a kid just laying on the ground looking up and just being in awe of some of these players and just thinking they were superhuman. Now to be able to pull that jersey over and my head and I’m in that situation now, it’s full circle.”
Being a fan of the Leafs growing up is one thing, but to be able to make an impact on the team in the designated role is another. Lorentz understands that he has to play physically, be responsible defensively, and bring energy on the fourth line if he wants to stay in the lineup on a nightly basis. Having just been on the Cup-winning Florida Panthers, he also understands that staying true to himself in his role is what it takes to win and be successful in the playoffs.
You don’t need to look much further than the goal he scored in the preseason finale on Saturday. Lorentz and Ryan Reaves were strong on the forecheck and finished their checks, which resulted in gaining possession and turning it into a tally for Lorentz. Even if the goal won’t count in the record books, he will never forget the feeling of scoring his first goal in the Blue and White.
“I blacked out a little bit there,” Lorentz told reporters on Saturday. “Just knowing that things have come full circle, to come into this rink as a kid and watching as a young guy, and then being able to do that and put my arms over my head, it was a pretty special feeling. That all started with just a good hard-working shift, so hopefully, there’s more of that to come.”
Lorentz put in the work and gave it his all, even if the chance of getting a proper contract with the Leafs was not a guarantee. Now that his spot on the team is secured, his focus now shifts to his goal of getting his team over the hump in the playoffs being a part of the solution to what has ailed them.
“It’s a job that I know comes with a lot of expectations and there’s a little more pressure,” he said. “But I’m excited for the challenge and I hope it’s a long season that goes right into June. That’s the ultimate goal, so we’re just kind of getting started here. As happy as I am, it’s business now.”
