On Tuesday, Dakota Joshua had the best game of his career. Because of it, he’ll be out of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Joshua was dominant for the Vancouver Canucks in Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He had a gorgeous assist on the opening goal, setting up Conor Garland for a tap in on a 2-on-1, picked up another assist on a hard-work shift, then added a lovely goal on a deke to the backhand for his first ever three-point game.
To top it off, Joshua dropped the gloves with MacKenzie Entwistle after the Blackhawks forward crushed Garland into the boards with a hard hit, giving him a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
After the game, Garland was appreciative of his linemate stepping up in his defence.
“I owe Dak a dinner tonight," said Garland. "That's unbelievable right there. That shows how tight this team is and the character we have in our room to do that.”
Joshua suggested that Garland should take him "somewhere expensive" for dinner, which he hopefully did, because that fight will cost Joshua some playing time. He wasn't on the ice for Thursday's morning skate ahead of their game against the Detroit Red Wings.
According to Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, Joshua suffered an upper-body injury that he believes happened during the fight. It's unknown how long Joshua will be out of the lineup.
"He's getting evaluated as we speak, I mean, this afternoon," said Tocchet. "So, we won't have him for tonight."
Joshua's line with Garland and Teddy Blueger has been the Canucks' most consistent line this season, chipping in secondary scoring behind the team's star players and frequently winning them games when the stars are held off the board.
In Joshua's absence, Ilya Mikheyev skated with Garland and Blueger on the third line, while Nils Höglander took his spot on the second power play unit.
Joshua's injury raises questions about hockey's "code" and whether players should fight after a clean hit — or at all. As Garland's words suggest, the players appreciate teammates stepping up to fight. It shows how tight the two have become as teammates, going from fighting each other during training camp to fighting for each other during the regular season.
But Joshua has become an essential part of the Canucks' roster. He's not only fifth among Canucks forwards in scoring, but also one of their go-to penalty killers and the team's most consistent physical presence on the forecheck and along the boards, leading all NHL forwards in hits. Is it worth losing him for one or more games in order to defend the honour of one of his teammates?
For some hockey fans, it absolutely is worth it. To those fans, the intangible effect of teammates defending each other has a longer-lasting impact than the tangible effect that Joshua would have on the ice for the game(s) he will miss.
Fortunately for the Canucks, they've built up a substantial lead in the Pacific Division, so it's not like losing a key cog will do too much to disrupt their machine. It's just a shame that Joshua's excellent season will be interrupted by injury.
