Dakota Joshua’s pinky finger injury from a fight on February 13 likely prevented him from achieving a 20-goal season and potentially impacted his impending unrestricted free agency with the Vancouver Canucks. However, his seven-week absence highlighted his value to the team, showcasing his unique blend of size, speed, physicality, and skill that the Canucks struggled to replace.
Despite initially playing as a third-liner, Joshua has recently been practicing on the top unit alongside J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, a significant promotion that is expected to continue for the Canucks’ upcoming game against the Dallas Stars. This development underscores Joshua’s importance to the team as they aim to secure a playoff berth with nine games left in the season.
Joshua, a 27-year-old power forward, is only now beginning to show his potential in the NHL under coach Rick Tocchet. His return to form is welcome news for the Canucks, who have been dealing with a string of injuries, including starting goalie Thatcher Demko being placed on long-term injured reserve due to a knee injury.
Joshua’s impending free agency will likely be a priority for general manager Patrik Allvin, as the team looks to solidify its roster for the future.
Joshua participated in full practice on Wednesday for the first time since his injury, but Elias Lindholm, a key mid-season addition, missed his third consecutive session due to a lingering injury, with reports suggesting he consulted a specialist.
There’s no way to spin the news about Demko and Lindholm as positive. They’re not resting; they’re injured as the playoffs approach. However, Joshua’s return should provide a significant advantage.
“He’s a difficult player to replace,” Tocchet emphasized in an interview with Sportsnet on Wednesday. “When I first arrived, he seemed to be on the fringes, and I couldn’t understand it. I thought a player of his caliber could really make a difference. I’ve seen his game improve significantly. He has great body positioning, retains possession of the puck, wins battles in front, and is a strong penalty killer. His hockey IQ has notably improved over the past year. He has developed as if he were a 20-year-old becoming a 25-year-old.”
Joshua was still a marginal player when Tocchet took over from Bruce Boudreau 14 months ago. He was criticized for his fitness at training camp in September and was a healthy scratch on Nov. 2.
However, this marked a turning point for the six-foot-three power forward, who began to play more consistently and eventually formed one of the NHL’s most effective third lines with Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland.
Joshua became a reliable penalty killer, leading the Canucks in hits until J.T. Miller recorded seven in Monday’s 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He achieved career highs with 13 goals and 26 points in 53 games before his injury.
Originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014, Joshua was traded to the St. Louis Blues five years later for future considerations. He didn’t become a full-time NHL player until Allvin signed him as a free agent two summers ago.
“This was my first long-term injury,” Joshua reflected. “It was tough initially, but then I realized that’s just how it goes. If I had tried to come back sooner, I wouldn’t have been myself, which could have been even worse. It’s a learning process. It’s definitely not fun because you want to be out there with the guys, so it’s not something I want to experience again.”
However, this injury was avoidable. Despite already contributing with a goal and two assists in Vancouver’s 4-2 victory in Chicago, Joshua chose to engage in a fight with Entwistle after the Blackhawk delivered a hard, clean check to Garland, a hit that did not harm the five-foot-nine Canuck.
“You never know what’s going to happen, and that’s just part of the game,” Joshua explained to reporters. “I don’t regret it. It’s just unfortunate the way it turned out. You know, you’ve got to stick up for your teammates.”
Tocchet commented on the incident, stating, “I know the end result was getting hurt, like, why did he do it? But I think that’s what Dakota is (and) doing that added a lot to the crest and to the culture. Now listen, there’s spots where you go, ‘no, don’t.’ But that situation. . . . I think that’s a culture thing that he did. And I’m a little old school when it comes to that. But, yeah, you’ve got to pick your spots, though.”
Joshua’s placement with Miller and Boeser is partly due to Garland’s role as the spark plug for Elias Pettersson on Vancouver’s second line. However, Joshua’s direct, physical style, ability to maintain possession of the puck, and willingness to go to the front of the net exemplify the type of play Tocchet desires from his wingers.
Just two weeks ago, Tocchet expressed a desire for improvement in the team’s play along the boards and in winning battles, stating, “We want to make plays and we want to scoot and play fast. We’ve got some guys that are never going to be great wall guys, let’s face it. And that’s okay. But can they play five or 10 per cent better on the wall or win a battle?”
After the Canucks struggled to penetrate the Kings’ defense on Monday, Tocchet emphasized the importance of asserting presence in the “blue paint,” stating, “It’s just blue-paint stuff. You’ve got to own the blue paint.”
While Joshua hasn’t completely dominated the blue paint in the NHL yet, he has made significant strides in establishing a strong presence in front of opposition goalies.
When asked if he believes his value to the Canucks became more apparent during his absence, Joshua modestly replied, “I don’t really think of myself like that, I guess. I just go out there and try to do what I can. It’s easy to say after a loss, you know, what could have been different (for the team). But I’m just kind of staying in my lane and playing the game.”
This attitude aligns with Tocchet’s expectations for Joshua.
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