Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
On Thursday, the Toronto Maple Leafs formalized a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, acquiring winger Dakota Joshua in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. This move marks another step in the Maple Leafs’ efforts to revamp their roster, particularly the bottom-six forward group.
Joshua’s Impact and Background
Joshua, known for his significant size and competitive nature, becomes a notable addition to the Leafs. He joins Nicolas Roy, who was previously acquired in a sign-and-trade deal involving Mitch Marner on June 30, with the Leafs looking to enhance their offensive depth.
In a series of movements aimed at roster optimization, the Leafs recently sent veteran forward Ryan Reaves to San Jose, acquiring defenseman Henry Thrun in return. This strategic shift comes as Toronto intends to strengthen its forward lineup and manage salary cap space efficiently.
Joshua’s Recent Performance
The 2023-24 season proved to be a personal triumph for Joshua, who recorded career-highs with 18 goals and 32 points over 63 appearances. His return to form is particularly commendable after he faced a major health hurdle prior to last season, undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. After missing training camp, he made a comeback in mid-November, contributing with seven goals and 14 points in 57 games throughout the season.
Canucks’ Perspective
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin spoke highly of Joshua, acknowledging the challenges he faced off the ice and commending his determination to contribute once he regained his health.
With Vancouver seeking salary cap relief amidst ongoing roster adjustments for the summer, they opted to trade away Joshua’s $3.25 million cap hit, despite the player being a former draft selection of the Maple Leafs (128th overall in 2014).
Future Implications for the Maple Leafs
It’s worth noting that during parts of his career, Joshua has played under the guidance of current Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube while he was with the St. Louis Blues, which might ease his transition into the Toronto lineup.
This acquisition could foreshadow further changes for the Maple Leafs, as they are expected to offload one or more forwards. Once they finalize a deal with restricted free agent Nick Robertson, whose arbitration hearing is set for this month, the team will have a packed roster of 15 NHL-level forwards under contract heading into next season.
