Joshua logged a game-low 9:15 of ice time against the New York Rangers on Thursday.
After skating a game-low 9:15 in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2-1 overtime win against the New York Rangers on Saturday , Dakota Joshua was honest about his early play this season.
“I wouldn't say it's been the best start personally, but also just trying to work and find my fit within the team,” Joshua said following the team’s morning skate ahead of the game against the Seattle Kraken. “But as far as the squad goes, obviously we've had some good performances and some not so good ones. I think just as a whole [we are] trying to find the consistency, and that also means the same for me to try and find the consistency to make an impact night in and night out.”
The Leafs acquired Joshua this summer in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks , investing in the hope that the forward could regain the 18-goal form he saw with that team in 2023-24. That successful campaign was followed by a testicular cancer diagnosis that cut into much of his 2024-25 campaign, which thankfully, he fully recovered.
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Joshua has also seen his role shift from third-liner to fourth-liner as injuries have forced changes throughout the club’s bottom-six forward group. The coaching staff opted to insert healthy scratch Steven Lorentz for Calle Jarnkrok (who has three goals this season), a move that suggests they didn't view benching Joshua as the most optimal choice despite his struggles.
It’s clear, however, that the Leafs want to give the player they acquired for a fourth-round pick more of a runway.
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“He's a big guy that's going to forecheck and be physical. He's killing penalties for us. He's got to be responsible defensively. He's going to be used in those situations, defensive-zone face-offs, and things like that, and going against lines, at times, to shut them down,” Berube said.
Berube added, “For me, it's all about the forecheck with Dakota, being physical out there, and getting pucks, and hanging on to them down low, and getting to the net. That's where he's going to score his goals.”
Maple Leafs' Dakota Joshua Excited To Reunite With Craig Berube As New Chapter Begins
New Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua is ecstatic to play under <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/bbs/toronto-maple-leafs/search/posts?q=Craig%20Berube&tokenName=NHLTML&domainName=thehockeynews.com&sortBy=publishTime&range=allTime#:~:text=%27It%20Hurts%20Right%20Now%27%3A%20Craig%20Berube%20Urges%20Maple%20Leafs%20to%20Remember%20Playoff%20Disappointment%2C%20Pins%20Game%207">Craig Berube</a> again.
While Joshua has the worst 5-on-5 goal ratio of any forward (six goals against compared to one for) , the Leafs are giving him more "rope". Knowing what Jarnkrok is, Toronto hopes that time will help Joshua make positive adjustments.
“Everybody's playing with new people. So just trying to find that chemistry and gel and being on the same page for a whole 60 minutes,” Joshua said. “It makes a big difference, and the faster you can find that, the more successful you'll be.”
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