On his Stanley Cup day, Steven Lorentz had grand plans to transform the trophy into a Bloody Caesar, a Canadian favorite. However, the official minders wouldn’t let him rim it with celery salt, citing rules against it. Oddly strict, considering the Cup’s storied 130-year history, which includes dips in swimming pools, resting in a stripper’s lap, holding oats for Derby horses, and being dropped into the Rideau Canal.

Instead, Lorentz filled the Cup with bratwurst and sauerkraut to honor his German roots. He also took it to a local hospital, a rink, his gym, and finally to a celebration. “It’s heavy,” Lorentz admitted, explaining he needed his knees to hoist it by the night’s end.

At 28, standing six-foot-four and weighing 206 pounds, Lorentz is now on a professional tryout with the Maple Leafs, a humble situation compared to stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, none of whom have Cup stories to share. Lorentz’s chances of landing a full contract are slim, as he competes with fellow PTO invitee Max Pacioretty, who boasts a far more impressive resume.

Still, PTOs aren’t hopeless—last season, Noah Gregor turned one into a one-year deal with Toronto. Lorentz faces a steep climb after suffering an upper-body injury on day one, though he’s back on the ice and even skated with Matthews and Marner briefly. By the end of practice, he found himself on a line with David Kämpf and Ryan Reaves, who appreciated Lorentz’s straightforward, hard-nosed playing style.

The Panthers opted not to re-sign Lorentz after last season, making this his fourth team since 2020-21. Though primarily a fourth-liner who dressed for just 38 games last year, Lorentz was praised by Florida coach Paul Maurice for his two playoff goals during the Panthers’ Cup run. Lorentz describes his game as “strong, physical, and simple,” relying on his size and energy to create chances.

In 2023-24, Lorentz earned a Cup ring, even getting it tattooed on his upper right thigh. “I thought I was tough, but I winced a couple of times,” he said of the process. As for the future, he joked, “I’ve got two legs—maybe I’ll get another tat as a Leaf.”