Canucks: How Dakota Joshua return adds size, scoring, bravado, humour

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Conor Garland is rarely at a loss for words.

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The diminutive and driven Vancouver Canucks winger has found joy in a game that challenged his resolve. He speaks with enthusiasm of a quest to be his best and take another step along the long playoff trail.

For now, he’s playing an important role off the ice.

Garland struck up a friendship with Dakota Joshua and they became effective and fun-loving linemates. And when Joshua was diagnosed in the off-season with testicular cancer — he could return to the lineup this weekend or next week — his buddy was at a loss for words.

“He called me to know what happened and I was devastated,” Garland told Postmedia News before the season-opener. “It’s a weird thing to hear, especially when someone is that young. It’s just being there for him if he needs anything. I have to be careful because I want him back soon.

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“He has to make sure he’s mentally and physically ready because he’s such a big part of our team. It (cancer) is a touchy subject with the seriousness of it all and you just try to get his mind off it.”

On Tuesday, Garland knew Joshua is on the right road to recovery. He’s practising and has a few new moves to greet his teammates when they enter the locker-room following a victory.

“He’s a personality that we enjoy having in the room,” said Garland. “A fantastic guy. A fantastic player. He’s going to be a huge add to our lineup. It takes time to jump into a regular season.

“I don’t think a lot of people have ever gone through that and especially when you’re trying to be a professional athlete and be at your best.

“It’s a different situation but he’s close to returning. It’ll be a great story and he’s going to have a good year. You can tell on the ice. He looks really good, but timing and getting in shape will take time. Nobody is expecting him to look like he did in the playoffs, at least for a little bit.”

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It wasn’t always this way.

Joshua, 28, had difficulty becoming physically and mentally engaged to build off a career season. The imposing 6-foot-3, 206 pound Dearborn, Mich., native had 18 goals and 32 points in 63 games with a willingness to get to the net and show off some soft hands.

He led the club in regular-season hits (244) — ranking ninth overall in the NHL — and also led the Canucks in the post-season (74).

Joshua was a key cog in a vastly improved penalty kill that had 79.1 per cent efficiency in the regular season and 81 per cent in the post-season. And most importantly, he measured up in the playoffs with eight points (4-4) in 13 games to earn a four-year contract extension at US$3.25 million in annual average value.

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He couldn’t wait for this campaign. Then came the diagnosis.

“I’m not going to lie — he was down,” admitted Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet. “Over the last six weeks, and with being on the road with us and the way he is now, he’s smiling. He’s got that happiness back.”

Tocchet said an AHL conditioning stint for Joshua is among considerations, but getting him back in an NHL lineup and up to speed is the preference. He was scheduled to see a doctor to monitor his progress and is expected to address the media later this week.

Meanwhile, Tocchet tinkered with his practice lineup Tuesday, moving Arshdeep Bains up with Elias Pettersson and Garland and dropping Nils Hoglander down with Pius Suter and Daniel Sprong. He also had Noah Juulsen pairing with Erik Brannstrom, but the biggest concern is getting the power play going. It was passive and predictable Monday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes and 0-for-3 with just three shots. It could have been a hammer. It was an anchor.

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After opening the season with a 2-for-4 performance, it’s in a 3-for-21 funk. The first unit was kept intact Tuesday and better zone entries — different people transporting the puck through the neutral zone — might be a better way to get more flow and go.

“It’s intensity and awareness,” said Tocchet. “Sometimes, when you’re talented you think you can just skill your way and that doesn’t work. It’s not horrible (20 per cent), but we don’t have a good taste in our mouths with it. And they (players) don’t either.

“If you beat pressure, you’ve got to attack. No point to look for a play. We have to get better and that’s a mentality.”

Pettersson has but two power-play shots this season and it has more do with the Canucks often favouring the left side of the offensive zone to set up shots or start rotations.

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“You can’t stand still and teams aren’t going to let you take one-timers, you’ve got to move within in the structure and then get it (puck) back to be open,” said Tocchet. “It’s a lot of movement and we’ve talked to Petey about moving his feet.”

And so isn’t getting into a track meet Wednesday with the New Jersey Devils.

“We’ve got to reload,” summed up Tocchet. “The goals we gave up to Carolina were odd-man rushes. We’re waiting to see if guys win battles. If it’s a 50-50 puck, you’ve got to be above people. We’ll get back to it.”

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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