Vancouver Canucks trade Dakota Joshua to Toronto Maple Leafs
Dakota Joshua is heading east, as the Vancouver Canucks have completed a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In exchange, the Canucks are receiving a fourth-round pick in 2028.
The move clears cap space for the Canucks, who have been reportedly eyeing some of the remaining available free agents. Joshua is entering the second year of a four-year contract paying him $3.25 million per season.
This is a homecoming of sorts for the 6-foot-3, 206-pound power forward, who was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round in 2014, but never played a game for Toronto.
The 29-year-old winger had a breakout season in 2023-24, scoring 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games. Joshua had a cancer scare last year, which appeared to derail his season, as he scored just 14 points (7-7-14) in 57 games following surgery.
āDakota went through a lot last season before the year even started and we were very impressed in how he handled such a difficult off-ice situation,ā said Canucks GM Patrik Allvin. āOnce healthy, he tried hard to help the team in many ways, and we want to wish him the best moving forward in Toronto.ā
Joshua brings a physical presence and penalty-killing prowess to the Leafs and will be looking to bounce back after a difficult 2024-25 season.