Dakota Joshua underwent the toughest year of his personal and professional life, but he’s looking forward to putting the past behind him as the new season begins.

Joshua was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a July 17 trade with the Vancouver Canucks, in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick. Toronto made a calculated bet that Joshua would return to his career-best form that he displayed in 2023-24. It was a nightmare year for Joshua, as he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 2024, missed training camp, and resumed playing on November 14, 2024. Joshua is putting it behind him, with a continued gratitude to make an impact in the NHL.

“I’m very highly motivated. It was a rough year last year for me, I know the things I need to do to put that in the past and make this a good one. It’s right there for the taking,” Joshua said.

“It was a difficult time and tough to go through, but in the end, I’m very lucky and thankful that I got it taken care of early on and no real major side effects after recovering. So just to go through that and be thankful to still be playing at the highest level. And then, once again, putting it behind me and just moving forward and getting back to the player I know I am.”

Joshua will be reunited with head coach Craig Berube this season, as he previously played under him with the St. Louis Blues during the 2021-22 season.

“He’s a very straightforward coach,” Joshua said of Berube. “You know what he expects out of you, and It’s easy to play for in the fact of there’s no grey area. He likes them north and south, up and down, and just to compete is the main thing. As long as you can compete, then he’s a great coach to play for.”

Joshua is looking forward to making new friendships with the Maple Leafs during camp, where he’s expected to invigorate Toronto’s third line, at least initially. He didn’t expected to be traded during the summer, but he’s now presented with an opportunity to help a competitive Maple Leafs team get over their playoff hurdles, as the team is betting that its replenished depth, star power and superior goaltending will be enough this year. And now it’s all for the taking, as Joshua and the Maple Leafs get underway this week.