Brad Treliving’s stated goal of acquiring a top-six forward to replace some of Mitch Marner’s contributions also comes with a subplot of developing a legitimate, two-way, hard-to-play-against third line for the post-season.

In a move that wasn’t on many people’s radar, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick. No reports were linking Joshua to Toronto ahead of the deal, making the trade one of the offseason’s true surprises, albeit not one involving a bona fide superstar.

The Maple Leafs acquired forward Dearborn's Dakota Joshua from the Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.