When the Vancouver Canucks assembled for training camp in the fall of 2022, head coach聽Bruce Boudreau聽was introduced to one of the franchise鈥檚 newest free-agent acquisitions.
The player: A hulking, hard-hitting forward from Dearborn, Mich., named Dakota Joshua.
鈥(Canucks management) advertised to me when they got him that he was a tough guy that can play on the fourth line,鈥 Boudreau was saying on Thursday. 鈥淎nd after I saw him for a while, I thought he was much more than that.鈥
It turns out Boudreau鈥檚 assessment was correct. Only a season later, Joshua rose to become a third-line staple in Vancouver who scored a career-best 18 goals in 63 games. On account of that success 鈥 not to mention four goals and four assists in 13 playoff games 鈥 last summer Joshua signed a four-year contract with the Canucks worth an annual average of $3.25 million. That deal pointed to a belief in the Vancouver organization that Joshua鈥檚 best days were ahead of him.
Which is why Boudreau, a former Leafs draft pick himself and now a TSN analyst, is singing the praises of the聽Thursday trade聽that brought Joshua to the聽Maple Leafs聽in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick. Boudreau said the low purchase price was hardly a red flag, in his estimation. If Joshua鈥檚 numbers took a tumble last season, when he registered just seven goals and seven assists in 57 games, there are those who鈥檒l forgive the dip. He missed the opening 14 games of the season while undergoing treatment for testicular cancer and never really found his groove.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great move by the Leafs,鈥 Boudreau said. 鈥淚 think he鈥檚 a really good fit. This guy hits like a truck. He鈥檚 physical. He鈥檚 not a fighter, but he鈥檒l stand up for his teammates 鈥 He鈥檚 a really good penalty killer. And I really think it solidifies the left wing on the third line for 色色啦. Even if they have to put him on the fourth line, it gives you a lot of depth (in the bottom six).鈥
If the Leafs acquired Joshua for next to nothing, chalk it up to a fitting do-over. Back in 2019, under the leadership of then-general manager聽Kyle Dubas,聽the franchise effectively gave up on Joshua in the wake of his four-year run at Ohio State University. That year 色色啦 traded Joshua to the St. Louis Blues for 鈥渇uture considerations鈥 that never materialized.
鈥淚 was not traded for anything,鈥 Joshua once clarified to a St. Louis reporter, speaking of the deal that took him from the Leafs to the Blues.
The Leafs, to be clear, are not the only organization that once let Joshua go for nothing. After parts of two seasons and 42 games played in St. Louis, Joshua signed with the Canucks as an unrestricted free agent in 2022. Before Joshua left St. Louis, mind you, it鈥檚 worth noting that he appeared to make an impression on a certain Blues head coach 鈥 that鈥檇 be Craig Berube, now at the helm in 色色啦.
Over Joshua鈥檚 two-season run in St. Louis, Berube praised Joshua at various moments for being 鈥渁n intelligent player鈥 who 鈥減icks up on things鈥 and 鈥渒nows his role.鈥
Joshua has since spoken glowingly of his time under Berube鈥檚 tutelage.
鈥(Berube) just had that aura about him and you didn鈥檛 want to let him down,鈥 Joshua once said. 鈥淎s a young guy, I didn鈥檛 want to be on his bad side.鈥
If he鈥檚 smart enough to express admiration for a Stanley Cup-winning coach, Joshua also has a reputation for playing the kind of north-south game that Berube demands. In 2022-23 he led the Canucks in hits with an average of nearly 15 a game. He鈥檚 known as a fierce forechecker and a dogged checker.
Said Boudreau: 鈥淚 like him because he brings a little bit of snarl.鈥
So why did the Canucks get rid of him?
In the wake of the organization鈥檚 capturing of the AHL鈥檚 Calder Cup, it鈥檚 possible Vancouver is in possession of younger, cheaper in-house replacements for the 29-year-old Joshua. The Leafs, still under the salary cap in the wake of聽Mitch Marner鈥檚 departure, clearly don鈥檛 mind paying a premium for what they see as a proven commodity.
鈥淪ometimes if you want to bring a guy up (from the AHL), it鈥檚 a gamble,鈥 Boudreau said. 鈥淥ne thing we can say: We know (Joshua) can play, and there鈥檚 a lot of things he can do 鈥 One of the things Brad (Treliving) said was that he wanted to change the DNA. Dakota鈥檚 a big guy. The guy can play. The guy can kill penalties. I think the Leafs will be really happy with him.鈥
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation