Maple Leafs set to place Steven Lorentz on waivers

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to place Steven Lorentz on waivers Thursday as the team tries to narrow down its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season.

On Thursday, forward Steven Lorentz was absent from practice as questions surrounded why he could be absent, though now we have a much better idea. According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs are intending to waive Lorentz when the 2pm window to waive players opens:

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Lorentz, 30, had 18 points in 71 games for the Maple Leafs last season, and came in during the summer of 2024-25 as a PTO, joining the team shortly after and earning an extension in the summer of 2025; earning a three-year, $4.05M deal.

Steven Lorentz quickly became a fan-favourite in Toronto despite brief stint

The six-year veteran has spent time with the Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, Sharks, and Panthers; he won a Cup with Florida in 2024 with current Maple Leafs players Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Anthony Stolarz.

There was not much to expect from Lorentz when he signed a PTO as the Maple Leafs were looking for bottom-six forward depth, and coming off a Cup with familiar teammates made sense. He was a pleasant surprise, adding 19 points and only 9 PIM in 80 games during the 2024-25 season, also adding 199 hits.

Fans loved his energy, the passion he brought each night, the fact that he was a lifelong Maple Leafs fan, and someone who could also add another winner to the roster. He was never flashy or popped the highlight reel, but he earned the respect and love of Leafs Nation.

Toronto's overabundance in the bottom-six led to Lorentz's waiver assignment

But last season was a drop-off. Though his point total stayed steady, his physicality and defensive game regressed slightly and he found himself in a lot of high pressure situations, being one of Toronto's only true penalty killers once they traded Nic Roy and Scott Laughton.

Not to mention the team added a slew of bottom-six talent like Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime, Zack McEwen, and Teddy Blueger to the mix. Where Lorentz had a spot was unknown, and with Dakota Joshua likely to return shortly, there's even less space.

Teams have 24 hours to claim Lorentz, at which point he will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies. He wouldn't be a bad asset, but at the same time, much like the David Kampf situation - he may not want the demotion at all.

While it may spell the end of Lorentz in Toronto for now, there is a chance he is called up should he stick with the Marlies, but in terms of an NHL job, he's going to need to be a little bit more patient.

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