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Canucks fans react to the Dakota Joshua trade
? Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Canucks fans react to the Dakota Joshua trade

Originally posted on Canucksarmy  |  By Tyson Cole  |  Last updated Jul 17, 2025 10:13 PM ET

On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks made the difficult decision to trade power forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick.

After some earlier summer reporting, Canucks fans were well aware that this was a possibility. With under $1 million in available salary cap space, the Canucks were looking to shed some cap. The roster has a few too many middle-six wingers making $2-$3 million annually, and one of them had to move on. Unfortunately, it was Joshua who was moved.

Let’s see what Canucks fans are saying about this trade.

CanucksArmy comment section

From kanucked: Don’t like this move. Dumping Joshua when his value was so low is a bad move. Worse if it’s for Roslovic.

From DerekP63: Decent move to clear space. Gives them some room to sign or trade for a 2C. RHC Roslovic might be the target, 22 goals, 54.1% in the circle. He may not be ideal but he would help a thin roster, giving them that elusive RHC they’re missing and have wanted since the Lindholm rental. With Pettersson/Roslovic/Chytil/Raty-Blueger as their 4/5 Cs, they’d look better than they did a week ago. Blueger could be traded next if they have faith in Raty but they’d miss his PK for sure. I’m hoping they could keep him for that alone.

Fro teejay: I like Joshua but this seemed inevitable with the added grit of Kane and the fact that Van is bursting at the seams with bottom 6 wingers. Hopefully making room for Roslovic or better to shore up the C position. He’s going to be used up and down the lineup for the Leafs who needed some grit, and I’m sure we’ll get to see him scrap the 6’8 meat-head in NY at least once or twice.

From Richard Hickey: Liked Joshua when he was in top form. We just got smaller. However, had to move a middle six winger. I think Joshua is better than DOC, but probably not by 50% of salary. I’m still iffy about Hoglander, but he has the upside. I can get onboard with this. I hope they don’t spend it on another bottom six center though. We need impact players.

From Tyson (not the author): Absolutely mind boggling. Massive Leafs W.

From BeerCan Boyd: I’ll be the devils advocate here. Joshua had a grand total of one season where he came anywhere close to living up to his potential. Got his big deal, good for him. The cancer was an unfortunate setback, but Allvin and co have obviously decided that he has peaked at age 29, and his contract was too rich and ultimately disposable. He very rarely played to his size, and I think this is a good move.

As for the troll brigade banging on about Roslovic, he’s younger, almost the same size, and a RHC. He also has 2 20 goal seasons and more than 3X the career points that Joshua has. He’s simply a better player, and if his signing is the eventual result of this trade, I’m 100% for it.

From Dickie Dunn: NOT a fan of this trade. Having said that there is another shoe to drop. Lets hope Canucks management secured the peice coming in before letting Joshua go (who will have a bounce back season). If its just Roslovic its a total waste. Over paid under producer. Of all the teams Dak could have gone to why the Leafs??? Urggghhhhh

From Fozzy Bear: Well hope the best for DJ in TO personally I liked this player and its tough to see him go, had a feeling he was going to have a great bounce back year but maybe I am wrong we’ll see. Question for me is couldn’t they have tried to package another player or draft pick to get a better return?

From Alex h: The 2023–24 playoffs were unforgettable, Joshua, Zadorov, Cole, Miller, and Soucy were absolute wrecking balls out there. That physical edge was our identity. Now they’re all gone. I have no idea what this management is even doing. Extends Garland, then immediately trades the one guy he has the most chemistry with. We get smaller, softer, and easier to play against.

From Pucker: Turning a mistake over payment contract into a 4th rd pick and cap space sounds like a win to me.

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From charlie._kirchner: This hurts. They better do something real good with that cap space.

From doomsdayemoji: Love the guy but it’s time. Too expensive with one good season.

From shaunaseasons11: Such sad news but from a business perspective I get it

From themountain1290: He’s a fan favourite but wasn’t really playing the way he was sold to be. He was a bottom 6 winger that could throw the body, be a phalysical presence to scare the other teams, protect his team mates and forecheck. Thing is he isn’t the faster guy out there, didn’t really go and intimidate anyone, and barely finished checks. He doesn’t do anything different than a younger cheaper kid would do from the AHL. Sorry I don’t mean to be brutally honest but he’s not going to be a key part of the Leafs team either

From mattyfri: If they traded him to get anything less than a 2C it’s a fail. Move out Chytil and possibly Blueger to bring in McTavish and you make me happy.

From speckyman27: I hope he has a huge year. Just traded away another big body that brought a level of toughness and grit.
He had an off year last year and we all know why. Not liking this trade at all

From lindenoliver: Unless we get a proper forward this is pointless

From haydenbruvold: I think he’s gonna have an amazing season. I just wish it was for us. Guys a stud. Big and physical with some scoring touch. I hate this move. Unless they do something crazy and get someone unreal for the 2C spot we might as well just skip to next years draft and pick 12-15th like we do every year.

From alfred_g._lunden: ….If he performs on the same level as last season for the duration of this contract, then it is a good salary dump. But if he returns to form, then the Canucks got Fleeced !!

From todddonnelly30: keeping Joshua means status quo, and that’s not good. The team needs new blood and management aren’t afraid to move on from middle six players to take a shot at improving

From t.woods43: Damm, Joshua added a bit of fire to the team, I guess Sherwood and Kane are going to have to step up more would have like to see more coming back the other way

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From Ariel Villaverde: The ONE player who shows emotion out there

From Andrew Bauer: I like Joshua, but something had to give. We need a centre and we had a surplus of bottom 6 wingers. A fourth round pick is fine.

From Ken Louis: Well, considering Vancouver has both Sherwood and Kane, and both of them are serious upgrades from Joshua in a similar role, Vancouver’s need for a top six fwd, and Joshua’s readiness to be a more impactful power forward, I would say this was a necessary trade for both sides. I like Joshua, and am sad to see him go, but I’m sure he will find more ice time with Toronto than he would see with Vancouver. Seems Vancouver has created some more cap space while providing a prospect a chance to make the team.

From Jordan Andrew Toorenburgh: I know its a necessary move but you cant trade away a fan favorite , something is owed to the fans of Vancouver.

From Ryan Sali: At least half the people on here commenting this was a bad move…… please understand ….. 1) we need a 2C badly! 2) we needed to shed cap to make that happen 3) any winger not in the top 6 was expendable. 4) If Blueger is our 3C on the depth chart, we might be in trouble. 5) BB, DeBrusk, Kane, garland, hogs, lekerrimaki i would expect are our top 9 wingers which doesn’t leave much reason to pay Dakota what he was making with all those other guys around.

From Michael Turner: Hate it. Joshua was grit and determination. Where else is this on the forward lines. Softer than Dairy Queen.

From Tony Susec: We need to get the kids on the farm up. We have too many overpaid wingers on this club.

From Barry Birtch: Canucks will live to regret this and the Podkolzen give-aways! They need more not less of what these guys bring

From Daniel Corkish: Traded what they need size ,grit,effort a teammate who held the other team accountable good PK guy!

Yes big cap hit
Yes a glut of bottom 6 guys
Pick someone else

If he got 17 to 22 goals this year no one would care about the$ No one on the farm has that skill set so not an easy replacement!

This article first appeared on Canucksarmy and was syndicated with permission.

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