Dakota Joshua Reflects On Reunion With Leafs Bench Boss Craig Berube
Photo credit: Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua got his start thanks to Craig Berube and his comments about their reunion this season has a lot of people excited about his role.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Dakota Joshua from Vancouver, it was seen as a solid move in order to add some scoring as well as much needed toughness and grit to the new-look lineup.
Originally a Maple Leafs draft pick, Joshua was sent packing earlier on to the St. Louis Blues where coincidentally it was Craig Berube who gave him his first real shot.
Joshua took the reins and ran with them, and secured himself a solid NHL career thus far, and hasn’t let even a bout with testicular cancer keep him down.
Dakota Joshua Looking Forward To Playing For Craig Berube Again
Motivated to come in and make an impact this season, Joshua had nothing but praise for his two-time head coach and sounded genuinely excited about coming back when speaking to reporters:
He’s a very straightforward coach. You know what he expects out of you. He’s easy to play for in the fact of there’s no grey area. He likes it north-south. As long as you can compete, he’s a great coach to play for.
Joshua played for two years under Berube and while he didn’t break out until he reached Vancouver, he still put up nine points, 100 hits, and won nearly 55% of his face-offs in that span (42 games).
He was traded to St. Louis for future considerations by Toronto in a deal that is still awaiting a return from the Blues.
Why Craig Berube Could Be The Key To Unlocking Dakota Joshua’s Potential
But now that he’s back in the fold not only in Toronto but under Berube, it’s the perfect chance for Joshua to take what he learned from his years in Vancouver and end up being a great tool for the head coach.
His versatility to play up and down the lineup at both center and wing gives the team a lot of flexibility for how they want to run things, and his physical presence is going to be a huge factor in the team’s success.
It’s likely that he’ll end up alongside Nic Roy on the third line, but to give Toronto two defensively savvy forwards who don’t mind being physical or putting the puck in the net; it’s a refreshing change.
The trust is there already given their history, and if Berube believed in him when he was unproven, imagine how excited he is to have him again but with a more well-rounded skillset.
So while we still need to wait and see how Joshua fits into the Berube lineup on a regular basis, there’s a lot to be excited for when it comes to his future with the Maple Leafs.
He’s ready for whatever comes next, and is ready to get the job done at any cost.
Previously on HockeyPatrol
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