Through four games, it is clear that the Vancouver Canucks are missing Dakota Joshua.
Through four games, it is clear that the Vancouver Canucks are missing Dakota Joshua.
Dakota Joshua's absence from the lineup has caused significant issues for the Vancouver Canucks. Not only was Joshua able to produce offensively, but his physicality made the Canucks a more difficult team to play against. If anything, Joshua missing the start of the season has proved how valuable he is to the team and just how difficult it is to replace him in the lineup.
For context, Joshua is still recovering after he was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer during the offseason. According to his statement released before Training Camp, he had successful surgery, which removed the tumour. While Joshua has been skating and around the team, there is still no official timeline for his return.
Latest From THN's Vancouver Canucks Site:
Canucks Teddy Blueger Exceeding Expectations To Start The 2024-25 Season
The Stats Behind Game #4: Canucks 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
Vancouver Canucks Recall Erik Brännström, Make Announcement About Derek Forbort
What The Analytics Say About Canucks Elias Pettersson's First Three Games Of The 2024-25 Season
Shifting the focus to the ice, it is clear that Vancouver misses Joshua in a number of different areas. The first area is five-on-five production. Last season, Joshua played 745:12 at five-on-five. Below are analytics comparing team production when he was on the ice compared to when he was not.
In almost every category, the Canucks performed better with Joshua on the ice compared to when he was not. Now, let's take a look at the numbers from the 2024-25 season. While it is important to note that the analytics may be inflated due to Vancouver having only played 190:16 at five-on-five this year, rates provide a good overall comparison.
As for his counting statistics, Joshua was near the top of the Canucks roster at five-on-five. Despite only playing 63 games, he finished tied for fifth in goals with 15 while finishing ninth in points with 27. He also led the team in five-on-five hits with 228 and finished third in five-on-five drawn penalties with 22. What is even more impressive is that he was able to have all this success despite being the tenth-ranked Canucks forward in five-on-five ice time, averaging only 11:50 per game. No matter what role he was put in, Joshua was able to impact the game, both on the scoresheet and with his physical play.
Another issue the Canucks have had this year is in their line construction. All four games have featured different lines, with 14 forwards being used so far this season. While Joshua is only one player, his presence created extra stability in the lineup, which in turn allowed Rick Tocchet to keep his lines very consistent last season.
The last area can't really be measured, and that is Joshua's ability to swing momentum in a game. During the 2023-24 season, Joshua, along with his linemates Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger, often swung momentum back in Vancouver's favour with hard-working shifts in the offensive zone. While the Canucks have decent analytics in the offensive end this season, these types of impactful shifts have been missing, which is another reason why the team has failed to produce at five-on-five.
In the end, the best way to describe Joshua's absence from Vancouver's lineup is to use Joni Mitchell's famous lyric, "Don't it always seem to go. That you don't know what you've got till it's gone." Yes, some players are underperforming, but not having Joshua available is a big reason why the Canucks have one win in their first four games. Ultimately, Joshua plays a valuable role both on and off the ice and will provide a massive boost to the lineup once he is ready to return.
