Steven Lorentz does not have the profile of a guy who usually grabs the spotlight with his stick, but Saturday changed that in a hurry.
The former Leaf, now grinding his way toward another NHL opportunity, lit up the scoresheet with a hat trick for Columbus’ AHL affiliate in Cleveland, turning in the kind of night that gets attention fast. It was the latest twist for a player who was part of the Matthew Knies-for-Kirill Marchenko deal that sent a package each way between Toronto and Columbus.
That trade included Lorentz and Emil Andrae going to Toronto, while Miles Wood and Elvis Merzlikins headed to Columbus. The bigger names have already had their share of impact.
Knies has been helping drive the offense in Columbus, while Marchenko has started to look more comfortable as a top-line forward in Toronto. But Lorentz is the one making noise right now.
His first goal on Saturday came from the slot, a shot that tied the game 4-4 for the Monsters. He didn’t exactly celebrate like a player trying to steal the moment, but he had every reason to be happy. By the end of the night, his three-goal burst had pushed him to four points in three games, which leads the team.
For a player known more for his defensive work, that kind of offensive explosion stands out. Still, Lorentz has always had some touch around the net. He now has 36 career NHL goals, including 15 over his last two seasons with Toronto, which means nearly half of his career total came in blue and white.
Toronto viewed him as the odd man out once the bottom six started getting crowded with new additions. He cleared waivers, was sent to the Marlies, and then quickly got moved again in the Knies-Marchenko blockbuster.
So where does that leave him now? If he keeps scoring at this pace in the AHL, an NHL return will take care of itself.
And even without a hot streak, there’s an argument that he can help right away. Columbus has Danton Heinen lined up as its 4C, but he hasn’t been especially effective early.
Lorentz could be a logical option if the club wants more size, more physicality, better faceoffs, and a bit more offense from that spot.
He’s bigger, heavier, and built for the kind of crash-and-bang style that fits Columbus. For now, he’s showing he can be more than just a safe bottom-six piece. On Saturday, he looked like a player who may have played his way back into the NHL conversation.
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One of the more interesting threads is Easton Cowans role, because the young winger keeps getting opportunities in the mix as the staff looks for a combination that actually clicks. There is also some added pressure on the blue line after Chris Tanev left Saturdays game against Colorado with an upper-body injury, another reminder that the Leafs are still trying to stabilize multiple areas at once rather than simply fine-tune a team already in place. [Read more 🡒]
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Gavin McKenna Is Forcing A Maple Leafs Power Play Debate
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Jim Hiller said McKenna has earned the power-play time hes getting, and the way he has played has opened the door to more responsibility if he keeps producing. The bigger question, of course, is how the group will look once John Tavares is back in the mix. Toronto will have to sort out who fits where, and McKennas current run has at least made the discussion more interesting than it looked a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]