Dakota Joshua Breaks Down How To Play An Effective Physical Game
Dakota Joshua leads the Vancouver Canucks with 242 hits this season.
Photo by Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Dakota Joshua Breaks Down How To Play An Effective Physical GameDakota Joshua is having a season to remember. The 27-year-old has set new career highs in goals, assists and points while becoming one of the Vancouver Canucks most valuable forwards this season. One of the league's most physical players, his ability to rack up hits has made the Canucks a more difficult team to play against this season.
Playing a physical game is not easy. Not only do players need to be ready to throw hits, but also absorb them. As Joshua explains, getting the body prepared to absorb hits is just as important as being physically able to throw them.
"I think it's a lot of what you do outside of the rink," said Joshua "Making sure that your body's in the best possible shape to endure those hits. Some take more force than others; some take less; it just depends on the game. It's just kind of a style I've always played. I guess we could say my body's used to it at this stage. I think it's one of those things that, after just doing it for so long, you know what it takes. Yeah, there's a little adjustment period, coming back out of summer or injury, but you gotta get your body acclimated again.
With one game remaining in the season, Joshua has totalled 242 hits in 62 games, ranking tenth in the NHL. While he has thrown some massive hits this year, a portion of his recorded hits are instances of him finishing his check after the defender has delivered a pass. According to Joshua, while these little hits may not seem important, they can have an impact on the game.
"It's very important, just in terms of the repetitiveness of the game. Over time, if you do it enough, it adds up and gets in the opponent's head. I think that's the goal there. Using your extra two feet to make sure you finish so that the next time you come back down there, they already know that they're getting finished. It hopefully can make them question their decision-making with the puck and just be a presence that they're aware of."
As for those big hits, Joshua loves throwing them. A perfectly timed hit can shift the momentum of a game as it can fire up the fans and the bench. As Joshua explains, while it is fun to deliver hits, watching his teammates throw their weight around can be just as fun.
"Very excited. You know, it can change a whole game just with one big hit. You're not always looking to hit somebody or lay somebody out. That's just how it happens sometimes, but it's always a nice boost when your teammates can deliver a nice hit."
Earlier this season, the NHL conducted an audit on how hits are recorded. This led to players receiving hit total increases like Joshua, who saw his total rise by over 30 hits. When asked about the increase, Joshua pointed out how hard it is to tell what a recorded hit is and that it was nice to see the NHL going back and rewarding players who may have had hits overlooked.
"When I found out about that, that was nice. To know that they went back over it and gave me some extra ones, you don't really know what they count. For them to go back over it was a nice treat."
On top of throwing hits, Joshua displays his physicality when battling in front of the net. Even though he is often slashed or cross-checked by the defender, he is able to maintain his position and create a screen, making life difficult for the opposing goalkeeper. According to Joshua, this is an area of his game he has spent time working on so that he can be as effective as possible as a net-front presence.
"Body position, being low, and just knowing where your hits are coming from. I guess you kind of got to be aware down there where the puck is, but also where your defenders are. That's more for pushing and shoving and more. I would say foot and body position because you're in such a tight area. There's not a lot of space, so just making sure you're getting on the right side of guys instead of the wrong side, whether it's the front or the back, goes a long way."
With the playoffs upcoming, Joshua's physicality should come in handy as Vancouver is set to face off against the Nashville Predators. Just like the Canucks, Nashville has plenty of players who can throw hits, including Jeremy Lauzon, who leads the NHL with 383 hits this season. If Joshua can continue to be a physical presence as he has throughout the regular season, it could be the push Vancouver needs to go on a long run this spring.
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