Newest Maple Leaf Thought His Career Might Be Over — Now He’s Reviving It in Toronto

When Troy Stecher hit waivers last month, the veteran defenseman had a sobering thought: this might be it. After 10 NHL seasons and seven teams, his future felt uncertain as he sat buried on Edmonton’s depth chart. But being claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs has flipped his career, and things are trending upward.

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Stecher arrived in Toronto with a simple mindset — screw it, prove you belong — and that attitude has sparked an improbable resurgence. He told The Athletic, “Honestly, there was a little worry about my career, and just that coming to an end. So, what do you have to lose? You might as well just jump in and give it everything you have.”

Not a lot was expected, but he’s been a perfect fit in Toronto. Siegel writes, “Coach Craig Berube raved about the pace that Stecher had injected after the win in Florida, his ability to transport pucks and get the team up and onto offence quick.”

The 31-year-old has delivered a goal, an assist, and over 24 minutes of ice time in a statement win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers this week. He played 23:52 in the game prior against the Pittsburgh Penguins and posted one assist. He’s been more than a depth replacement while the Maple Leafs battle injuries, and Stecher is quickly making a case that he’s got plenty of gas left in the tank, an ideal situation considering he’s a pending UFA at the end of the season.

What looked like the end has instead become a fresh beginning.

“They’ve allowed me to just come in and be myself,” Stecher said of his short tenure in Toronto. “I don’t feel like I’m walking on eggshells. I can be somewhat vocal with the guys. I can joke around. I’m picking up on inside jokes.”

Stecher credits the comfort of familiar faces like Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe for making his transition easy. On the ice, he’s doing everything that is asked of him and more. He’s blocking shots, killing penalties, and playing the hardest hockey of his career — exactly what the Maple Leafs need as questions about their intensity and energy levels persist.

Stecher knows opportunities don’t last forever. Toronto gave him one more, and he’s grabbing it with everything he’s got. “If I don’t play hard, I’m not in this league. I know that… I’m 5-9 and 190 pounds; there’s a lot of bigger guys. So I have to find a way to stay competitive, and that’s just playing really hard.”

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