After their first win of the season, it looks like the Vancouver Canucks might be getting their power forward back sooner rather than later. Canucks forward Dakota Joshua skated with his teammates on Saturday morning, ahead of their game against the Philadelphia Flyers later this evening.
Joshua has yet to make his season debut for the Canucks this season after undergoing successful testicular cancer removal surgery this summer. To start the season, Joshua joined goaltender Thatcher Demko on the season-opening injured non-roster list. However, both players still made the trip for Vancouver’s four-game road stint.
“That was his first time [with the group],” said Tocchet. “It’s good, it’s a step closer. He’s a guy that wins corner battles, he’s one of our best net-front guys, so when he comes back it’s like having a major trade.”
The 28-year-old winger was one-third of the Canucks’ most consistent line last season, playing on the left side of Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland. It was a year to remember for Joshua, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points, 60 penalty minutes and 244 hits with a plus-19 rating in 63 games. These were all career highs outside of penalty minutes (which he tied) and games played.
Given his player type and frame, Joshua was expected to be a playoff performer, and he was. He scored some timely goals, including the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal in Game 1 against the Nashville Predators. Joshua continued that on, finishing with four goals and four assists for eight points in 13 playoff games and 74 hits – his hit totals lead the league up until halfway through the Stanley Cup finals.
Last year’s efforts earned him a contract extension with the Canucks, signing a four-year $13 million contract that pays him $3.25 million annually. Joshua will likely resume his role as a primary penalty killer and the third-line left winger with his running mate Garland once he’s ready to make his return to the Canucks lineup. While that may not be tonight against the Flyers, his debut is inching closer and closer.
