Maple Leafs’ Dakota Joshua to Wear Phil Kessel’s Number for Personal Reason originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Dakota Joshua will wear No. 81 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but not just because it’s the number he wore with the Vancouver Canucks.
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As Joshua told Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby on Tuesday, his choice for that number is also a tribute to a beloved former Maple Leafs player.
That is retired forward Phil Kessel, the most recognized Leaf to ever wear No. 81, who put up 394 points in 446 games over six seasons with Toronto. Only one other Maple Leaf, Mac Hollowell, has ever worn No. 81.
“I love the mojo there,” Joshua said. “I knew his story, and looking forward to playing a long time here like Kessel did.”
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On top of wearing the Leafs jersey, both men are linked to each other because of another, much more important thing: both are testicular cancer survivors.
Kessel overcame the illness in 2006–07 during his rookie season with the Boston Bruins, while Joshua missed the start of the 2024–25 campaign after receiving his own diagnosis.
“For sure, it puts your life in perspective,” Joshua said of his serious medical issue. “The biggest takeaway is that anything can happen to you, so make the most of (life). But after coming out the other side, I’m stronger as a person. It makes you confident you can get through anything.”
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Former Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel (81) warms up.Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Joshua, 29, was acquired by Toronto from the Canucks in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick.
The winger, who can also play at center, is under contract for three more seasons at a $3.25-million cap hit.
Toronto drafted Joshua with the No. 128 overall pick in the 2014 draft, but he never played for the team, debuting with the St. Louis Blues under current Leafs coach Craig Berube in 2020-21 before joining Vancouver in 2022.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.