Lorentz, alongside Emil Andrae, Matthew Knies and a second-round pick, was traded to the Blue Jackets from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Kirill Marchenko, Elvis Merzlikins and Miles Wood, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
After the Maple Leafs placed Lorentz on waivers Thursday, the veteran center will be given a change of scenery in the Blue Jackets' organization. The 30-year-old forward played his role well in the 2025-26 campaign, where he compiled seven goals, 18 points, 70 shots on net, 154 hits and 48 blocked shots across 71 regular-season appearances. There's still a chance that he could begin the season in the minors, but Lorentz could slot into the fourth-line center role for Columbus due to his proven grit compared to Luca Del Bel Belluz, who is more of a skill-based center. If the Jackets deem that Del Bel Belluz needs another year to develop in the minors, Lorentz would likely be the one who claims the last center spot, giving him a major boost to his fantasy outlook for the 2026-27 campaign.