The Vancouver Canucks can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries.
You can add Dakota Joshua to the long list of players dealing with health issues. The power forward was retroactively placed on injured reserve earlier today and will miss at least the next three games.
Head coach Rick Tocchet revealed that Joshua is “week-to-week” but the exact details of what the injury is are not known at this time.
“Week-to-week but it’s not like three weeks type of thing. Is it a week? Eight days, nine days? I don’t know but I guess for paper it’s a week-to-week thing.”
It’s been a difficult season for Joshua, who dealt with a surprise cancer scare last summer. He returned to the lineup on November 14 but has understandably taken some time to find his game again. There’s been some positive signs over the last few contests but now that momentum will be slowed with this absence.
“I thought the last two, three games he’s [been] getting to his game. We need that element,” Tocchet said.
The 28-year-old has just two goals and four points in 24 games this season.
The Canucks recalled winger Jonathan Lekkerimäki to fill Joshua’s spot. The young Swedish sniper scored his first NHL goal earlier this season and has played five games with the big club.
Lekkerimäki has been scoring in bunches while in the AHL. He has 12 goals and 17 points in 21 games with Abbotsford, impressive numbers for a player playing his first full season in North America.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that F Dakota Joshua has been placed on IR (retroactive to Jan. 3, 2025) and F Jonathan Lekkerimäki has been recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) on emergency basis.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 6, 2025
Joshua’s injury means the Canucks forward group takes another hit. They’re already missing star Elias Pettersson, who hasn’t played since before the holiday break on December 23 and doesn’t seem fit to play tonight.
There is some positive injury news for the Canucks as captain Quinn Hughes could return to the lineup tonight. The Norris Trophy candidate is a game-time decision, according to Tocchet.