The Toronto Maple Leafs are trimming down their roster and the latest move will be putting someone who was a regular in the lineup not too long ago, on the waiver wire.
According to multiple reports, the Leafs are placing forward Steven Lorentz on waivers Thursday afternoon. The 30-year-old winger will need to clear to then be reassigned down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies, or he can be claimed by another team.
The #leafs are placing Steven Lorentz on waivers this afternoon.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) September 24, 2026
The Kitchener, Ontario native played 71 games for the Leafs last season, scoring seven goals and 18 points while averaging 11:52 time-on-ice as a very solid fourth-line threat. Lorentz is not flashy in any way at all and gets about one shot on goal per game, but he was at least someone who could very well be relied upon as a rotation forward.
Even just two years ago, in his first year in Toronto after signing a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent, he appeared in 80 games and scored eight goals and 19 points while playing almost 90 fewer seconds per game compared to last season.
Lorentz signed a three-year contract extension last summer with the Maple Leafs after his initial one-year deal expired. He has two years remaining at a cap hit of $1.35 million. For this season, the maximum cap hit that can be buried in the NHL is $1.225 million. So if Lorentz is then demoted down to the AHL, the Leafs will have a $12,500 cap charge on their books for the winger.
Leafs make decision on their depth forward group
The Leafs have made their next step for their final roster. Lorentz was a solid player over the past two seasons but with general manager John Chayka reconstructing the team's bottom-six forwards, he sunk further down the depth chart and has now lost his spot.
It has not been officially announced by the Leafs yet but we have to imagine that with the waiving of Lorentz, more roster cuts will be coming shortly. After making dozens of cuts earlier this week, sending AHL-bound players actually down to the AHL and some prospects back to their respective junior clubs, now the tough decisions are happening and it seems to have started with Lorentz.
Players like Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime, Teddy Blueger, and Nick Paul are seen as better, more impactful options. Whether they can score more, are better defensively, or are more physical, they are clearly viewed as players who are better for the team right now.
Lorentz's time with the Leafs is probably not over -- well, unless he gets claimed by another team. He can be with the Marlies and be a leader with the reigning Calder Cup champions, and be the first call-up in case of an injury to a bottom-six forward.
We will see how many more cuts take place. The Leafs are done with their preseason so no more exhibition game obligations are preventing them from finalizing their roster before Tuesday night's season opener against the Montreal Canadiens.
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