The latest news regarding the Dakota Joshua injury could actually solve a potentially complex problem for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In particular, seeing the depth forward start the season on IR could open a crucial bottom-six slot.
Coach Jim Hiller has been vague, to say the least, about what’s ailing the 30-year-old forward. According to Arun Srinivasan of Daily Faceoff, Hiller did not shed any light on whether Joshua would be ready for Opening Night.
Dakota Joshua is dealing with an unspecified injury. Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller did not specify whether Joshua will be ready for opening night against Montreal on September 29.
— Arun Srinivasan (@Arunthings) September 21, 2026
What has made the situation even more intriguing is the fact that Joshua did skate on Monday, but per Sportsnet, the former Leafs draft pick found himself with the Marlies group. Maybe it’s just a nothingburger that Joshua skated with the AHL guys, but reading between the lines, Joshua’s injury situation might actually alleviate the bottom-six logjam that the Maple Leafs are likely to have.
Over the summer, Leafs GM John Chayka stocked up on bottom-six forwards. Adding the likes of Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons, and Brandon Duhaime did little to create opportunities for guys like Joshua. And if the former Vancouver Canuck cannot start the season healthy, he may just find that his roster spot evaporates.
Other guys like Steven Lorentz, Zack MacEwan, and even Bo Groulx will be looking to take up that final roster spot on the Leafs’ fourth line.
Joshua may end up providing Maple Leafs with cap relief
Of course, we don’t know precisely what’s ailing Joshua. Assuming it’s just a minor thing, he could start the season on the shelf, but his cap hit would still count toward the Maple Leafs’ overall allocation.
But if the situation is more serious than initially thought, Joshua might go on LTIR. If that’s the case, well, Toronto would get some much-needed relief in that regard, as his $3.25 million cap hit would come off the books, at least temporarily.
But what seems intriguing is that if Joshua is skating with the Marlies squad, could it be that the organization could be preparing to put him on waivers?
That situation would also allow the Maple Leafs to get some cap relief, albeit not quite as significant as LTIR. Sending Joshua down to the Marlies would take off about $1.2 million from his overall cap hit. It’s not going to solve all of Toronto’s cap issues, but every little bit helps when you’re up against the cap.
If there’s a team out there willing to claim Joshua, that would be fantastic for the Maple Leafs. However, the likelihood is that he clears. At that point, Joshua could take all the time he needs to get back into tip-top shape and return to the big club when the time is right.
Ultimately, we’re reading a lot into a situation with very little information. It won’t be until the Leafs end up whittling down their training camp roster that we’ll see where things are going.
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