One Vancouver Canuck who has had a trying season is earning recognition for his ability to overcome adversity.
On Wednesday, it was announced that forward Dakota Joshua is the Canucks’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
The Bill Masterton is an annual award that is given “to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”
Joshua’s 2024-25 season might not be the most memorable on the ice, but his journey back to the lineup after a real scare this past off-season is commendable. The Dearborn, Michigan native missed the first 14 games of the season while recovering from successful testicular cancer surgery. He would make his season debut on Nov. 14 against the New York Islanders.
When speaking to the media after finding out he was the Vancouver chapter of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association’s nominee, Joshua was overcome with emotion, admitting that it’s been a trying year.
“It’s not a season I want to remember,” Joshua said. “It’s obviously an honour to be nominated for the award, but I wish I could have put forth something better. It means a lot just to be able to play and continue on the dream of playing in the NHL. … This award, it’s an honour.”
Despite the hurdle of recovering from a cancer scare, the 28-year-old believes he could’ve been more of a contributor in what has been a roller-coaster season for Joshua and the Canucks. Through 53 appearances, he has scored six goals and six assists for 12 points.
“I’m still not happy with it, but it’s definitely been better than it was at the beginning. I just really want to finish strong and head into a full summer, where I’m getting better. … I’m sorry this season hasn’t gone better.”
In 2023-24, Joshua posted a career-high 32 points in 63 games, with another eight points in the playoffs. It earned him a new four-year, $3.25 million AAV contract.
Last year, Noah Juulsen was the Canucks’ nomination for the award. Other former nominees include Brock Boeser (2023) and Luke Schenn (2022).
