The Real Reason the Vancouver Canucks Traded Dakota Joshua to the Maple Leafs Comes to the Surface

Former Vancouver Canucks forward and New Member of the Toronto Maple LEafs Dakota Joshua

Photo credit: USA Today

The real reason the Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin traded fan favorite power forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs comes to the surface.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have acquired a 4th round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dakota Joshua.

The Vancouver Canucks true motives for trading Dakota Joshua

Understandably, Canucks fans were outraged with the move as the team basically got nothing in return for a physical, top-6 winger who had a down year due to some pretty serious external health factors.

»On its own, this is a very underwhelming trade. Joshua had earned a lot of fans in his three seasons in Vancouver with his hard-working, hard-hitting game, winning the Fred J. Hume Award as the team’s unsung hero in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.» – Daniel Wagner

But the fact is, their true motives were never going to result in keep Joshua, as the
feel he has not been playing up to his $3.25 million contract over the next three seasons.

In combination with trying to find a real upgrade at the 2nd-line center role, they felt shedding his contract was always going to be the play to get the necessary cap space, but even then it might not be enough which can really blow back in GM Patrik Allvin’s face.

»The fourth-round pick the Canucks received from the Leafs is not really the primary return in the trade. Instead, it’s the $3.25 million in cap space in the next three seasons. That’s enough space to potentially add another centre, or the Canucks could look to clear even more cap space in order to add a more impactful player.» – Wagner

The only way the Canucks can make up for it is by actually signing either Victor Olofsson or Jack Roslovic.

Previously on CanucksDaily

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The Real Reason the Vancouver Canucks Traded Dakota Joshua to the Maple Leafs Comes to the Surface

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