Dakota Joshua
Dakota Joshua | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 15, 1996 Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey forward |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Playing for Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL |
Dakota Joshua (born May 15, 1996) is a professional American ice hockey forward currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected 128th overall by Toronto during the 2014 NHL entry draft, he has also been a member of the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks organizations.
Early life
Joshua was born in Dearborn, Michigan into a family with strong hockey ties; his mother participated in the Michigan Senior Women's Hockey League, and his younger sibling Jagger is also an ice hockey player. He honed his abilities with the Honeybaked under-16 midget squad and took part in the USA Hockey select national team evaluation camp.
Junior
Following the 2011–12 season, Joshua was chosen in the third round of the United States Hockey League (USHL) draft by the Sioux Falls Stampede. During 2012–13, he divided his time between Honeybaked and competing in the USHL. Though picked 156th overall by the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection, he remained in the USHL for the 2013–14 season.
Ranked 157th among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, Joshua was taken 128th overall by Toronto in 2014. Dave Morrison, scouting director for the Maple Leafs, highlighted his athleticism and potential to become a top-nine forward.
Joshua contributed two full seasons to Sioux Falls, playing a role in their 2015 Clark Cup championship triumph.
Collegiate
In his initial year at Ohio State University, Joshua tallied 17 points across 29 games. He netted his first collegiate goal—a decisive shootout winner—against the University of Michigan on January 15, 2016. Four days later, he faced a suspension due to an earlier incident. Joshua aided Ohio State's advance to the semifinals of the 2016 Big Ten men's ice hockey tournament, where they were defeated by top-seeded University of Minnesota. The subsequent season saw him accumulate 12 goals and 23 assists, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten accolades as well as recognition as an Ohio State Scholar–Athlete while pursuing a sports industry major.
Professional
On July 12, 2019, Joshua's rights were transferred to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for future considerations. He debuted in the NHL on March 1, 2021, scoring a goal during a 5–4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. After a short stint on the taxi squad, he was recalled on March 5.
As an unrestricted free agent, Joshua inked a two-year contract worth $1.65 million with the Vancouver Canucks on July 13, 2022. On February 13, 2024, he achieved a Gordie Howe hat trick—a goal, an assist, and a fight—in a 4–2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Following career-best performances with Vancouver, he secured a four-year extension valued at $13 million on June 27, 2024.
During summer 2024, Joshua was diagnosed with testicular cancer requiring surgical treatment, which led to him missing training camp ahead of the 2024–25 NHL season. He made his return on November 14 in a defeat versus the New York Islanders. On July 17, 2025, Vancouver traded Joshua back to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2028 draft.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2012–13 | U.S. National Development Team | USHL | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 55 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2014–15 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 52 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 74 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 38 | ||
| 2015–16 | Ohio State University | B1G | 29 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Ohio State University | B1G | 33 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Ohio State University | B1G | 34 | 15 | 11 | 26 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Ohio State University | B1G | 32 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 30 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Tulsa Oilers | ECHL | 20 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Utica Comets | AHL | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Springfield Thunderbirds | AHL | 35 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 23 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 58 | ||
| 2021–22 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 30 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 79 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 63 | 18 | 14 | 32 | 60 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 2024–25 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 57 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 241 | 40 | 38 | 78 | 181 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | ||||
Awards and honors
| Distinction | Year |
|---|---|
| USHL | |
| Clark Cup titleholder | 2015 |
| College | |
| B1G Honorable Mention All-Star | 2017 |
| Vancouver Canucks | |
| Fred J. Hume Award | 2023, 2024 |
External links
- 1996 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American sportsmen
- African-American ice hockey players
- American men's ice hockey centers
- Ice hockey people from Wayne County, Michigan
- Ice hockey players from Michigan
- Ohio State Buckeyes men's ice hockey players
- San Antonio Rampage players
- Sioux Falls Stampede players
- Sportspeople from Dearborn, Michigan
- Springfield Thunderbirds players
- St. Louis Blues players
- Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks
- Toronto Maple Leafs players
- Tulsa Oilers (1992–present) players
- USA Hockey National Team Development Program players
- Utica Comets players
- Vancouver Canucks players