The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed forward Dakota Joshua to a four-year, $13 million contract, the team announced Thursday.
Joshua was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on Monday.
The 28-year-old from Dearborn, Mich., had a career year recording 32 points (18 goals and 14 assists) in 63 games during the regular season.
He also had eight points (four goals and four assists) in 13 playoff games.
“Dakota had a strong season for us and took some big steps forward in his game,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a release. “We really like his size, his speed and physicality. He fit in well with our system and the way we want to play hockey and I look forward to watching him to continue to develop under our coaching staff.”
Joshua was drafted in the fifth round, 128th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014.
He was then traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and signed as a free agent with the Canucks in 2022.
Joshua has 64 points (33 goals and 31 assists) in 184 career games over four seasons with the Blues and Canucks.
The signing comes a day after the Canucks re-signed forward Teddy Blueger to a two-year contract and traded forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Vancouver Canucks have made a significant move in their offseason roster building by signing forward Dakota Joshua to a four-year, $13 million contract. The 25-year-old center is coming off a strong season with the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he tallied 15 goals and 19 assists in 49 games.
Joshua, a native of Dearborn, Michigan, was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He spent four years at Ohio State University before turning pro and has steadily developed his game in the minor leagues.
The Canucks are hoping that Joshua can provide some much-needed depth at the center position and contribute offensively. At 6’3″ and 200 pounds, he brings size and physicality to the lineup, which should help the team compete in the tough Western Conference.
General Manager Jim Benning spoke highly of Joshua’s potential, stating, “Dakota is a young player with a lot of upside. We believe he has the tools to be a valuable contributor to our team for years to come.”
With this signing, the Canucks continue to make moves to strengthen their roster for the upcoming season. Fans will be eager to see how Joshua fits into the lineup and if he can make an impact at the NHL level. Only time will tell if this investment pays off for Vancouver, but it’s clear that they see potential in Joshua and are willing to invest in his future with the team.