On Saturday, Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua will make his first public appearance since he went public last month with his testicular cancer diagnosis.
The 28-year-old winger will be present for the grand opening of the new Pastime Sports & Games store at Capilano Mall in North Vancouver on Saturday, signing autographs and taking photos with Canucks fans of all ages.
Joshua, who scored 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games with the Canucks last season, has been unable to take part in training camp while recovering from a successful operation to remove a cancerous lump from his testicles.
Back in June, the Dearborn, Michigan product agreed to terms on a new four-year contract with the Canucks that will see him paid an average of $3.25 million per year through the end of the 2027-28 season.
Although Joshua still isn’t ready to resume his usual on-ice activities in Vancouver, he’s still an important part of the team. He will be along for the ride as the Canucks embark upon a four-game road trip to Tampa Bay, Sunrise, Philadelphia, and Chicago through the middle of October.
“You know, I want him around,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said in a media availability on Wednesday. “Like I said, he’ll be coming on the trip with us. [He’s a] huge part of our team. I think he’s in good spirits the last week. Before, he was a little bit down, which is expected. I think him being around the guys really helps him.
“When we get him back, it’s like having a major trade, right?” Tocchet added. “Having a big guy like that get into your lineup who can score — that’s a positive for us.”
The Canucks originally acquired Joshua in the 2022 offseason, signing the 6’3″, 206-pound forward to a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent from the St. Louis Blues. Joshua blossomed into an everyday NHLer under Tocchet over the past two seasons, coming fully into his own with four goals and eight points in 13 playoff contests this past spring.
After wrapping up their 2024 preseason schedule against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, the Canucks will kick off their 2024-25 regular season slate of games against the Calgary Flames on October 9.