The Vancouver Canucks have traded forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a pick. Vancouver clears out some cap space while the Leafs add some size. There’s a great story in Joshua, and the Leafs will be adding to their bottom six. With the departures this summer in Toronto, this is a good pickup due to its compelling storylines. There are many ties between Joshua and the Maple Leafs, but the best are yet to come.
Why Joshua is a Feel-Good Story for Toronto
Hearing that the #Canucks have dealt Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) July 17, 2025
By this point, we are all familiar with the story. Joshua missed time early last season as he recovered from surgery to deal with testicular cancer. He returned to Vancouver and was a decent addition for the Canucks, despite the carnage around him. Joshua scored seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 56 games. It’s not ideal, but production from the bottom six is crucial in the playoffs. Joshua’s remarkable story doesn’t end there.
This trade sends him to Toronto, but what many don’t remember is that it was the Maple Leafs who drafted him. Many years ago, the Leafs picked him 128th overall in 2014. That’s a 5th-round draft pick for those wondering. He’ll be going back to the city that took that gamble on him. He never played for the Leafs, but that will change now. He has three years left on his contract, worth $3.25 million annually, but that’s not an issue for Toronto. Due to the massive contracts that came off the books this summer, they have the space to do this. Joshua played under Craig Berube in St Louis, and will get a reunion in Ontario.
What This Means for Vancouver
The Canucks were looking to create some cap room to make additions. The issue for Patrik Allvin and company is that the market is thin. Joshua’s money being moved means there is room. That’s both in terms of cap space and roster spots. Vancouver will soon be looking to bring in young talent, and moving that long-term commitment opens the door sooner. That’s a good start for an organization trying to rebound from that disastrous season. They will need more, and Jim Rutherford and company will continue looking. They’ve been looking around still.
Where they go from here is difficult to predict. With the market being jammed with playoff hopefuls, the Canucks can’t go out and buy at will. Perhaps they’ll find a way to make “hockey trades” to address their needs instead. In that case, clearing up the extra cap room allows them to take a gamble on an underachieving player. They’ve options, and that should excite their fan base. Losing Joshua when he was a great Canuck will hurt, but he was found money anyway. However, the Canucks will now look to the future and what comes next to replace Joshua.
The post Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Feel-Good Story Forward From Canucks appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.