It’s no surprise that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking for physical wingers who can also contribute offensively to fill out its roster for the 2024-25 season. One player who would fit this bill perfectly is Dakota Joshua. His journey to the NHL has been anything but easy, but the 28-year-old Michigan native’s determination and perseverance have finally put him in a good spot.
Related: Canucks’ Dakota Joshua Finding Success in Rick Tocchet’s System
There are a few attractive free agents that the Maple Leafs should consider signing. However, I watched Dakota Joshua grow this season, and I’ve followed him closely during his time with the Vancouver Canucks. This season, he emerged as a solid secondary scorer, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists (for 32 points). Perhaps as notable are his whopping 245 hits in 63 games. He has the potential to bring a much-needed physical edge and scoring ability to the bottom six of the Maple Leafs lineup.
Joshua’s Connections with Both the Maple Leafs and the Blues
Joshua was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round (128th overall) during the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. His hockey journey includes stints in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and the NCAA (four years at Ohio State University), where he developed his scoring abilities and physical play. In 2019, he was traded from the Maple Leafs to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for future considerations. In his time with the Blues in the NHL and American Hockey League (AHL), he played 42 games.
When his contract expired, Joshua was not extended a qualifying offer, and the Canucks snatched him up as a free agent in the 2022 offseason, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in his career. In 2022-23 with the Canucks, he showed some glimmer of what he could do when he scored 11 goals and 12 assists in 79 games while bringing a physical presence to the ice.
Now, after two seasons in limited minutes and a few games as a healthy scratch, he’s shown the ability to put up double-digit goals and be a force on the ice. Could Joshua expand his game in Toronto?
What Makes Joshua an Ideal Candidate for the Maple Leafs?
Joshua’s blend of size, physicality, and scoring touch makes him an ideal candidate to strengthen the Maple Leafs’ lineup. His 6-foot-3, 206-pound frame allows him to play a punishing style – a style the Maple Leafs need and an attribute that second-year…
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