The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Dakota Joshua to a four-year contract worth $3.25 million per season. The 28-year-old exploded production-wise in 2023-24 in Vancouver, so he got a big-time reward for that with this deal.
With 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points in 63 games on just 14:23 of average ice time, which includes usage on the penalty kill, Joshua had a great season. What does this mean for his future?
Can Joshua Match His 2023-24 Season?
While Joshua had a great season for the Canucks in a third-line role, it’s reasonable to question if he can sustain his scoring. With an otherworldly 21.4 shooting percentage, it is essentially a guarantee that he will fall back down to earth. Unless he plays more in 2024-25, he probably won’t score as much as he did.
Part of the good news for Joshua is that he isn’t just a scorer. He had decent on-ice defensive numbers, loves to hit, and has upside on the penalty kill. He can be the prototypical bottom-six checking forward at the worst, and that’s not a bad thing. His offensive production won’t entirely vanish, so his unsustainable finishing results aren’t too much to worry about. Playoff teams like the Canucks love having players like Joshua, so that’s something to consider, too.
Related: 2024 Free Agency Tracker
Joshua is the kind of player who can be a fit pretty much anywhere that is asked of him, which is another benefit. He’s not a first-line player, but it’s not unreasonable to have him on the second line, he can play on the third line quite comfortably and would be a nice fit for the fourth line, too.
Fit with Vancouver
The Canucks were the team that got the best out of Joshua, so naturally it makes sense that he would return. He can be a solid middle-six player for them if necessary, seeing as they have elite pure offensive talent in players like Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and arguably even Brock Boeser. He can slot on the second line looking at how their contracts are laid out, or can be a third-line player like he was for them in their most recent campaign.
The Canucks are getting a valuable player for their regular season and playoff rosters at a stomachable cost. He’s making third-line money, but he is a good third-line player with room for more. The contract value makes sense, and it also makes sense why they would want to bring Joshua back. Good forwards throughout an NHL lineup is vital, and it was also key to the Canucks’ success in 2023-24.
Thanks to their recent trade of Ilya Mikheyev, Vancouver has a bit of money to spend in the offseason. Their key free agents include Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Tyler Myers, and Ian Cole—they have over $15 million in projected cap space to bring who they want back and also add in the future. A big offseason is ahead for the Canucks.
