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Maple Leafs acquire Dakota Joshua from Canucks for 2028 fourth-round pick

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Mike Gould | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 4:57 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired forward Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft, the clubs announced Thursday afternoon.

Joshua, 29, collected seven goals and 14 points in 57 games with the Canucks during the 2024-25 regular season. The Dearborn, Michigan product is under contract through the 2027-28 campaign at a $3.25 million cap hit.

In a sense, this move brings Joshua full circle: Originally a fifth-round pick (No. 128 overall) of the Leafs in 2014, Joshua never signed with his draft club before being traded to the St. Louis Blues for future considerations in the summer of 2019.

TRADE: We’ve acquired forward Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft pic.twitter.com/HutDzsKmuh
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 17, 2025

Joshua firmly established himself as an everyday NHLer with the Canucks over the last three seasons, becoming a trusted option for former head coach Rick Tocchet and earning a significant raise from his previous contract. The 6’3″ winger set career highs with 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games with the Canucks in 2023-24.

Shortly after signing a four-year extension with the Canucks in June 2024, Joshua was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent surgery to treat it, which caused him to miss the start of the 2024-25 season.

Joshua initially made the NHL with the Blues in the 2020-21 season, not long after he concluded his four-year tenure with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He played a bit part with the Blues over parts of two seasons before joining the Canucks as a UFA in 2022.

Through 241 career NHL games over parts of five seasons with the Blues and Canucks, Joshua has collected 40 goals, 78 points, and 181 penalty minutes. He racked up four goals and eight points in 13 playoff games with the Canucks in 2024.

Joshua will add a much-needed physical element to a Leafs team that has become well-known for its playoff shortcomings in recent years. The Leafs traded enforcer Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks earlier this month.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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