Brad Treliving has re-entered the offseason with a trade to help shore up the depth of his Toronto Maple Leafs. Earlier today, a trade was announced that brings forward Dakota Joshua to Toronto in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick.
Joshua was actually a draft pick of the Maple Leafs back in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Draft. As he was pursuing a college career in his post-draft years, he never signed with the team and had his rights traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2019.
Joshua made his NHL debut with the Blues late in the 2020–21 season, where he played in 12 games and had one point. His first NHL goal.
In the 2022 offseason, he signed with the Canucks. This is where he had his breakout season. In 2023–24, his second with Vancouver, Joshua had 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games.
Following that season, Joshua was diagnosed with testicular cancer and missed the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He was back in the lineup by mid-November, playing in 57 games.
Dakota Joshua fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs
It has been a longstanding need to try and add physicality and grit to the Maple Leafs’ roster. Joshua’s addition furthers the progress to that goal. This is a very ‘Brad Treliving’ style trade, adding a physical depth player. Luckily, Joshua did not cost much, only requiring a fourth-round pick in return.
His physicality is what he was best known for in recent years, as he sits 17th in the NHL over the past two seasons with 437 hits.
Joshua is bound to be a great fit with Toronto. He may be primarily a bottom-six forward, but he can be a reliable player on the penalty kill. His speed and physicality would give reason to move him up the lineup as well, when required.
Joshua stands at 6’3″, just over 200 pounds, and could be utilized as a power forward or net front presence. He has enough of a scoring touch to improve the scoring depth on the Leafs as well, as he was nearly a 20-goal scorer just two seasons ago.
Expect Joshua to start and spend most of his time on the fourth line and penalty kill. His offensive potential may not fully shine in this role, but his speed and skill set should make him an early option to move up when the line blender is broken out.
Love this trade. A bit expensive for a 4th liner but if he can jump up to the 3rd line he would make an impact beside Roy and McMann.
Have to think that the leafs have another trade coming to shed cap in the way of Jarnkrok or Kampf.
Go Treliving go …. !!
Hopefully both. We need a new people who can play playoff-style hockey. Both Kampf and Jarnkrok can’t.
McMann is probably going and, at 29 while disappearing after the deadline last year and getting 0 goals and 3 whole assists in 13 playoff games, it’s time he went. Can’t risk another year of that!