The Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to win a game so far in the expedited preseason schedule, though it’s good for the club to work out any bugs between now and the start of the regular season while also not icing their full roster of starters.
However, the Maple Leafs are already dealing with an injury to one of their forwards, and his status for the start of the regular season in reportedly in doubt.
Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Dakota Joshua
According to Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller, forward Dakota Joshua, who is entering his second year with the club, is dealing with “something”, and his status for the beginning of the regular season isn’t a sure thing.
“He’s on his return to play and not quite there yet,” Hiller said. “So, we’re getting close… won’t get into specifics, but he’s just been dealing with something. Nothing happened recently… I don’t know that (if he’ll be back for opening night). I don’t know that.”
Joshua, who was acquired by the Maple Leafs last summer from the Vancouver Canucks in return for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick, appeared in 55 games for Toronto in 2025-26, scoring 10 goals with eight assists and 49 penalty minutes.
During Training Camp this month, he skated on Toronto’s fourth line alongside Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime.
Dakota Joshua Was Originally Selected By The Toronto Maple Leafs
Joshua was originally selected by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round (128th overall pick) of the 2014 NHL Draft, but his rights would be traded in 2019 to the St. Louis Blues in return for future considerations.
Joshua made his NHL debut with the Blues in 2021, scoring in his first game. He later joined the Vancouver Canucks in 2022 and developed into a physical two-way forward, posting career highs in goals and assists during the 2023-24 season.
Joshua earned a four-year, $13 million extension that summer but missed the start of the following season while recovering from surgery related to testicular cancer. He returned to action in November 2024.
He’d be traded back to the Maple Leafs in 2025, returning him to the club that selected him in the 2014 NHL Draft.
So far in his NHL career, he’s tallied 50 goals with 46 assists in 296 career games.
Maple Leafs Already Dealing With Mystery Injury