The Toronto Maple Leafs could be dealing with a fresh injury mystery following Saturday’s preseason opener.
Dakota Joshua missed the split-squad game set against the Montreal Canadiens, with coach Jim Hiller providing an extremely vague reference to the injury.
As Leafs beat reporter Mark Masters quoted Hiller, Joshua is “dealing with something.”
Leafs coach Jim Hiller: “He’s dealing with something”
@TSN_SportsThat’s it.
The cryptic update does little to shed light on the 30-year-old’s situation. The former Maple Leafs’ fifth-round pick was limited to 55 games last season due to assorted ailments. In particular, he missed a fair chunk of the season due to a kidney laceration. But there’s no word if this latest setback is related to that injury.
Missing time during this year’s shortened preseason could be a major blow to the depth forward. With various players competing for playing time, it could be costly to his efforts to remain in the lineup.
The Leafs will once again play on Wednesday, holding another split squad set against the Ottawa Senators. If Joshua can’t go for that set, it might end up costing him a roster spot to start the season. The expectation will be that he’ll be ready for Opening Night against the Canadiens.
Maple Leafs Could Get Cap Relief If Joshua Needs LTIR
The immediate question is what happens if Joshua can’t start the season.
If the Maple Leafs simply place him on injured reserve, they would get him off the active roster but wouldn’t suddenly gain access to his entire $3.25 million cap hit.
That’s where LTIR becomes important.
If Joshua’s injury is serious enough to keep him out long-term and he qualifies for long-term injured reserve, Toronto could use the resulting cap relief to carry another player instead. That could prove extremely valuable for a team that is expected to be tight against the salary ceiling.
Joshua is entering the third season of a four-year, $13 million contract, carrying a $3.25 million annual cap hit through 2027-28.
For now, there is no indication that his injury is serious enough to warrant LTIR.
But that’s precisely why the vague update is worth watching.
If Joshua is only dealing with a minor issue, the Maple Leafs can simply wait for him to return.
If it is something more significant, however, Toronto may have to make a decision about how to use that roster spot.
And LTIR could suddenly give the club some breathing room.
This Could Be a Crucial Season for Joshua
There is another reason the Maple Leafs need to pay close attention to Joshua’s situation.
This is an important season for him.
Joshua’s contract was originally signed after he produced a career-high 32 points in 63 games with Vancouver. But his first season in Toronto produced only 18 points in 55 games, and he was limited by injuries along the way.
That’s not necessarily enough production for a $3.25 million fourth-line player.
The Maple Leafs also have plenty of competition for those bottom-six jobs. If Joshua struggles to stay healthy and fails to rediscover the physical, effective game that earned him his contract, Toronto could eventually look for another solution.
One option would be trying to send him through waivers and assign him to the AHL. Joshua is waiver-eligible, so Toronto cannot simply move him there without first exposing him to the rest of the league.
The question is whether another team would actually claim him and absorb the full contract.
That’s far from certain.
But Toronto doesn’t necessarily need someone to claim him.
The possibility alone gives the Maple Leafs another roster-management option if Joshua can’t establish himself.
For now, though, everything depends on what Hiller meant when he delivered the cryptic update on Joshua’s health status.
The Maple Leafs are hoping it’s nothing serious. Because if it is, Joshua’s injury could create a much bigger roster decision than anyone expected.
Maple Leafs Have New Injury Mystery After Preseason Opener