‘I need more than myself’: Leafs’ Dakota Joshua responds to health scrutiny

WASHINGTON, DC – There’s no more sugarcoating it.

Glass’ half of the news here is that — on the heels of the power forward’s first and long-anticipated healthy scratch — no one is suggesting otherwise.

Head coach Craig Berube waited 22 games before benching the six-year-old that GM Brad Trellwing took away from the Canucks this summer.

At first blush, the acquisition felt like a low-cost, low-risk aircraft.

An 18-goal, 32-point, hard-checking, defensively responsible predictor? Any Vancouverite fan favorites ready for the 2024 playoffs? 2028 fourth-rounder for a low, low price?

Six weeks into the player’s proposed layoff campaign, however, the Maple Leafs’ plan to build a nightly shutdown line around Joshua and center Nicholas Rowe still looks pretty good.

Joshua had collected just two goals and three assists to go along with his minus-8 rating and had gone eight games without a point. He failed to register a shot in five of them and moved to the fourth row.

Although far from harmless, Joshua’s shift has been very quiet. unnecessary His physical presence is either over or he is about to appear late to the party.

Hardly a big return on a $3.25-million-a-year investment that is under contract until 2027-28.

“We need more from you. And I agree with him. And I have no argument with that. I need more from myself, and so does the team,” Joshua told Sportsnet on Thursday, following a Thanksgiving Day practice in the US capital. “It has to be better.”

“Everyone here is smart and feels how you’re playing. So, I fully understand that it hasn’t gone well for me this year. But there’s enough hockey left to turn it around, and that’s what I plan to do.”

Joshua’s individual story this season isn’t unlike his team’s: The secondary was more than expected in terms of offense, toughness and speed.

Joshua was admitted as a DNA transplant. He was supposed to represent more of Steel Leaf’s identity.

The hope from the coaching staff — which will tweak a winning lineup and throw Joshua back into action Friday against the Washington Capitals — is that he takes this wake-up call to heart.

“I feel like he needs to reset, and sometimes it puts a little more fire in them,” Berube said.

These decisions are not made lightly.

Usually, veterans and new faces get an extra run before being pushed to the press box.

A healthy scratch in this early stretch can embarrass not only a player but the executive who brought him in.

But with the Leafs on the sad side of the wild card line, Berube needs the six-foot-three, 218-pound Joshua to find his identity.

“He’s a big guy who has to be a physical, tough player to play against. And he’s going to make his goals around the net and score, right? So, I think a little more solid touch in the offensive zone than anticipated, and then he’s going to get to the net front and win those battles there,” Berube explained.

“He’s got good hand vision, and he’s got the ability to catch in the net. That’s where I see his game can improve. But it’s about getting there. So, out of our zone, anticipating and getting direct. Not only him, but his linemates are putting him in a good spot for a forecheck or whatever.”

Trouble for the opposition.

“Toughen it up,” Berube challenged. “They don’t want to box him out. He’s a big guy. So, I think he might just be more engaging that way.”

A self-confessed slow starter, Joshua agrees there is another level he can reach.

“Just to control the game more with my linemates,” he said. “There’s more contact and it takes on yourself to be a guy who slows down the game and just makes it harder on the other team.”

OK, so who’s coming?

William Nylander, who has missed three games this season, called Thursday’s practice “rehab.”

Wednesday’s overtime hero walked around the ruck and appeared to be in good spirits, chatting with teammates before meeting his old friend Rasmus Sindien for dinner in D.C.

Berube assured Nylander would be good to go.

So, who replaces Joshua?

In practice, Domi and McSally (also scratched Wednesday) took turns skating in Nylander’s spot next to John Tavares on the second line and on Toronto’s new-look five-forward power-play.

Both shifty players have struggled recently.

But Domi has never been as healthy as a Maple Leaf, despite his team-worst minus-13 rating.

“I don’t know if it’s the defensive side of things. I think positionally he’s strong,” Berube said of Domi. “I know his plus/minus doesn’t say that, but I wouldn’t say as a position that there is too much (competition) for me.

“It’s just getting more involved in the game. Like, he’s got to be less dirty in the offensive zone, win battles, and be more engaged that way. And get inside the ice more. That’s what I see. And when he’s skating and moving, he’s an effective player.

“But it’s very controversial.”

A timer: Defenseman Brandon Carlo was a full participant in practice for the first time since being injured on Nov. 13…. The stitches you see on Berube’s forehead are from a simple, routine procedure the coach had this week to remove something under the skin. Nothing serious. “Just so you know, I did it without freezing or anything,” boasts Berube…. The slow-starting Capitals have won five of their last six games…. Berube called Dakota Mermes’ first-round hit on Zach Aston-Reese, which he disputed in real time: “I thought it was a terrible call. First of all, I know you can’t rip a guy’s helmet off. But it wasn’t intentional. They’re going at it, and (Mermes wants to get it already.) It’s good, but then his helmet is off, that’s it, it’s a tough call. he

Maple Leafs practice lines Thursday in DC

Kennys-Matthews-Robertson
Domi/Maccelli – Tavares – Cowan
Joshua – Roy – McMann
Lorentz – Laughton – Järnkrok

Reilly – Ekman-Larsson
Benoit – McCabe
Mermis – Engraver
Myers – Carlo