Carolina Hurricanes: The Evolution of Steven Lorentz
Let’s take a look at a Hurricanes prospect who’s really made a name for himself, with a stellar season unfolding in Charlotte.
One quick look at his hockey history will tell you one glaringly obvious fact about Steven Lorentz: he’s no stranger to being overlooked. He was the 226th pick in the 12th round of the OHL draft as a 16-year-old. He was a 7th (and final) round draft pick by the Hurricanes in 2015.
He’s been overlooked his entire career. But one thing that he’s proven is – you can’t overlook his talent forever. He has persevered over doubt at every level of his pro career, and now, the 23-year old Lorentz, who hails from Waterloo, Ontario, could be destined for the greatest league in the world.
Starting with his nearly impossible journey from his junior year to where he is today, on the front step of the NHL’s door, sit back and enjoy a deep-dive into the career and story of Steven Lorentz, who’s a kid you’ll love to cheer for when his time comes.
His Backstory
Lorentz, who was born and raised up in Waterloo, a suburb just 45 minutes outside of downtown Toronto, played his minor hockey locally for Waterloo Wolves AAA, and despite a 47-point season to lead his team that season, Lorentz wasn’t sure he’d be drafted into major junior.
“I wasn’t a very big kid, only 5-foot-9 at the time. The Peterborough [Petes were] the only team that called me that whole season, and it was back in January so I figured they’d forgotten [about me]. I was ecstatic when I saw my name appear on the screen and was determined to play in the OHL.” -Lorentz.
Luckily for Lorentz, his time came. He was picked in the 12th round (226th overall) in the 2012 OHL draft by Peterborough. His odds were extremely long at best, but all Lorentz wanted was an opportunity. He knew he could make the most of it. Though, that opportunity didn’t come easily for the kid.
Fast forward 2 years past his selection into the OHL. May 2014 – Lorentz was an 18-year old who’d scored just 18 points into the OHL at that point – and was, understandably, not on anyone’s radar for the 2014 NHL draft. He was passed over, but that wasn’t enough to kill his dream. Lorentz used it as motivation:
“I think a lot of kids end up not being super successful because everything comes easy for them early on, but when things get tough and you have to work for them they fall off the map. I had a passion for this the whole way through and I loved every moment. I think being a 12th round pick was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Lorentz said.
After being overlooked in the 2014 NHL draft, Lorentz returned for another season with the Petes and went on to double his career output (with 37 points in 59 games) and becoming a top-6 forward for that team in the process. Despite the progression, Lorentz was once again doubted by scouts – he was not ranked amongst the top 210 North American skaters by Central Scouting.
Despite that, GM at the time, Ron Francis, saw something he liked in Lorentz and made him the 187th pick of the 2015 draft. Lorentz had grown into a 6’4″, 205lb forward with good speed, though lacked dynamic offensive instincts. Even Lorentz viewed himself as a project, of sorts:
“It’s a process. There’s no rush to jump into a spot right away. I just want to take my time and develop into a good player that Carolina likes one day and hopefully I’ll find a spot on the roster.”
He went on to wrap up his final season in the OHL in exciting fashion. Lorentz, who wore an “A” for the Petes, scored 29 goals and 61 points – and added 9 goals in 12 playoff games. That was enough to sell the Canes brass on giving Lorentz a much-deserved NHL entry-level contract. Ron Francis expressed optimism in his guy:
“Steven took a big step forward this season with Peterborough, and has earned an opportunity to continue his development with our organization.” – Ron Francis in 2017.
Though Francis is no longer around to track his once hand-picked prospect, the Hurricanes could soon reap the benefits of Lorentz’ career progression.
The Scouting Report
What it all comes down to, obviously, are the tools which Lorentz possesses that could translate into success at the NHL level. For starters, he’s quite a large man. At 6’4″, 205lbs, he’ll have no problems fitting in with the physicality of the NHL game.
As far as what I’ve seen from Lorentz personally, he has a high motor and he’s quite menacing along the boards (he knows how to use his size – which is a huge factor). He has really nice acceleration for a big guy and has some skill and finishing ability, although I’m not convinced he can create offense on his own at the NHL level. If I were to offer a player comparable – he reminds me a lot of Warren Foegele.
Because my Lorentz viewings have been limited (seen him multiple times live in juniors, and a bit of him with the Checkers this year), I had to go beyond my own opinion of him to get some detailed thoughts about his game from people who know his situation better than I do.
I asked Brandon Stanley, a good friend of mine who does phenomenal Checkers scouting reports for Canes and Coffee (go check them out!) for his thoughts on Lorentz. (I credit Brandon for really opening my eyes on this kid – he’s been driving the hype train all season). Here’s what he offered:
“You know, I’m basically carrying the torch for this kid’s bandwagon, but I think it’s warranted because he’s been a key cog in what Charlotte has done all year. He fits extremely well with what the Canes want to do, as a puck hounding, forechecking menace with a ton of speed and a 6’4 frame he’s willing to throw around a bit. He’s showcased way more offensive game this year than I’ve expected as well, with good hands in tight quarters and willingness to get to the dirty areas.”
As far as how he sees Lorentz transitioning to the NHL level, Brandon said:
“….we shouldn’t expect 50 points or anything crazy as an NHLer, but he’s going to make a ton of winning plays that will make fans love him. He’s an excellent penalty killer and forces more turnovers than anyone I’ve seen down there [in Charlotte]. I really believe he’s going to be an above average bottom six player [at the NHL level].” – Brandon Stanley.
Beyond that, Checkers commentator Jason Shaya has also been a vocal supporter of Lorentz, saying the following back in December:
“I can’t name many players that have made more progress than Steven Lorentz. One year ago he was in the ECHL and today he’s a key part of an AHL team. My guess is he will be in the mix for an NHL call-up this season. A scout said to me last night, “he keeps getting better.”. – Jason Shaya
With Lorentz’ 24th birthday approaching next month, it’s quite possible that his dream to solidify himself as an NHLer is on borrowed time. But he’s been a late-bloomer his entire career, at every level, and what he’s shown this season in Charlotte has stacked the odds in his favour.
His Progression in Charlotte
It took a while for Lorentz to find his footing in the AHL. He played 84 games in his first two pro years for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, where he was quite successful. He finally secured his AHL spot mid-way through last season, and even contributed 5 points in 12 games during the Checkers’ playoff run.
However, I don’t think anybody could have envisioned the eye-opening breakout season that Lorentz is enjoying this year. After a slow-ish start to the season, Lorentz has exploded lately, and has become a vital part of Charlotte’s success. He has 20 goals and 21 assists in their past 48 games, and leads the team with a +22 rating.
His breakout has been an extremely important development for Charlotte’s success, and definitely could have played a role in Carolina being OK with trading off prospects like Julien Gauthier, Janne Kuokkanen and Eetu Luostarinen – who were all unlikely to fill Carolina’s top-six. Lorentz is perfectly suited for a bottom-6 NHL role, and maybe sold the Canes’ brass on his upside in that department.
“There is so much you learn along the way about yourself and your team,” Lorentz said. “The biggest thing is how to win. It takes so much.”
Here’s a little sneak peek at his offensive ability. He used his frame to create space for himself in the slot, and though the pass to Lorentz was behind him, he managed to wire a top-shelf shot past the goalie while getting crossed-checked to the ice. Truly a remarkable goal:
Look at this! pic.twitter.com/78haKeJmW1
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) March 1, 2020
I mean, really. How great was that!?
https://twitter.com/checkershockey/status/1234254576532017153?s=21
His Future
Moving forward, it’s very easy to see how and where Lorentz could fit in the Canes’ plans as a potential bottom-six piece in the near future. He is scheduled to be an RFA after the season – and considering his unproven track record, he will be a very cheap re-signing for the team.
When you consider that Justin Williams is set to probably walk off into the sunset after this season, combined with a currently underachieving group of bottom-six forwards that includes Jordan Martinook, Brock McGinn, and Ryan Dzingel – Lorentz could make for a potential cost-effective replacement for any of those guys should the Hurricanes look for cap relief this summer.
If he continues to progress at the steady rate he has, there’s no reason that Lorentz can’t fill Martinook’s role next fall. They play a quite similar style of hockey, and with Lorentz both younger and cap-friendly, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the Canes could look to move a salary like Marty’s (2M AAV) or McGinn’s (2.1M AAV), as the team currently projects to be over the salary cap next season.
Lorentz would be a seamless fit into Rod’s up-tempo, fast-paced brand of hockey, and should be able to contribute to the team in a number of ways. He plays hard, fast, and has some skill to him. I wouldn’t expect much offense from him, but he could reasonable chip in some 20-30 point seasons.
All in all, he’s a kid that is so easy to cheer for in terms of what he’s overcome in his career, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll be a guy that fans will take a huge liking to when he proudly wears the Hurricanes jersey.
Question for CC readers: Are you buying the Lorentz hype?