Steven Lorentz is a native of Kitchener, Ontario and grew up a die-hard fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not only is Lorentz coming off of winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, but he also recently signed with the Maple Leafs and is now living out a lifelong dream.
Not only is Lorentz playing for the team he grew up cheering for, he scored his first goal in a Maple Leafs sweater against the New Jersey Devils. Following the game, he took a picture with the puck and the Maple Leafs added to the moment with a photo of Lorentz as a child.
In the old picture, Lorentz is wearing Maple Leafs pajamas in bed with a poster of former captain and franchise icon Mats Sundin. The bed is wrapped in NHL bed sheets, but it’s obvious who Lorentz’s favorite team was as a kid.
To add to the wholesomeness of Lorentz playing with his childhood team, his sister tweeted an image of his old yearbook photo. Lorentz had to write where he saw himself in 15 years.
“Where I’ll be in 15 years: Playing in the NHL (with the Leafs).
When Lorentz was 13 years old, he knew he would be playing in the NHL. Now, at 28, 15 years later, he is playing with the exact team he predicted.
Lorentz joined the Maple Leafs over the offseason on a professional tryout contract, but he earned his way to a full contract and is already making the most of his time in Toronto. The Maple Leafs got shutout in their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens, but Lorentz scored a goal and an assist in their 4-2 win over the Devils.
2024 has been a magical year for Lorentz; going from winning the Cup in Florida to heading back home and playing for his boyhood team. It’s every hockey player’s dream, and Lorentz is living it.