Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua is looking increasingly unlikely to be ready for the start of the regular season, and that alone has his place on the roster looking shaky.
Joshua was out of the lineup for Toronto’s split-squad games against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, which immediately stirred up speculation. Head coach Jim Hiller later said the forward was dealing with something, and Joshua was back on the ice Monday - but only with the Toronto Marlies group, which did little to quiet the questions.
Hiller’s latest comments made the outlook even less encouraging.
“He's on his return to play and not quite there yet. So, we're getting close… won't get into specifics, but he's just been dealing with something.”
He added: “Nothing happened recently… I don't know that (if he'll be back for opening night). I don't know that.”
The uncertainty has only added fuel to the idea that Joshua may not have arrived at camp in the best shape, though nothing concrete has been said on that front. It also raises a bigger issue: even if he gets back quickly, does Toronto still have room for him?
Last season, Joshua never gave the Leafs the offensive punch they were hoping for, and he didn’t bring much bite either. He spent most of the year in the bottom six and never really forced his way up the lineup.
That matters now because Toronto has added plenty of depth. John Chayka was hired as general manager in the offseason, and the Leafs brought in Brandon Duhaime, Colton Sissions, Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, and Teddy Blueger. Those moves appear to have filled out the rest of the roster, leaving Joshua’s spot effectively gone.
At this point, it feels like Joshua’s days with the Leafs could be numbered. He carries too much salary for a player who looks more likely to end up as a healthy scratch than a regular fixture in the lineup.
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