Maple Leafs' Dakota Joshua gets 100% real about HC Craig Berube, Auston Matthews & $92,000,000 star

On July 17, when Dakota Joshua returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs, it felt like a familiar step in his hockey career. He was drafted by the Leafs in 2014, and after spending time with the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks, he’s back with the team that first believed in him.

Joshua spoke about Leafs coach Craig Berube, who coached him during his early NHL days. He also shared that he talked to Berube before the trade.

"I spoke to him on the phone the other day," Joshua said Wednesday on Leafs Nation (1:50 onwards). "He's a great guy and great coach. Obviously, he was the one who kind of gave me my first shot in the league, and, you know, I'll forever be thankful for to him for that.

"And it was nice to see how he ran the team and and obviously makes it that much more exciting to join and play for him again, the familiarity goes a long way,"

Joshua also recalled seeing Auston Matthews and William Nylander, now signed to an eight-year, $92 million contract, at development camps during his early years.

“Just Auston Matthews and William Nylander were around at the development camps when I was there,” Joshua added. “Joseph Woll was there in my last year.”

Joshua didn’t spend a lot of time with them, but it helps that he knows a few players as he joins a mostly new group.

Joshua’s offseason came with a personal challenge. He shared that he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer.

“This summer, I felt a lump on one of my testicles that doctors would later diagnose as testicular cancer,” he said in a statement in September. “Thankfully, doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor.”

The surgery kept him out of training camp, but he said he’s been working hard every day to return to play.

Now, Joshua joins a Leafs team with stars like Matthews and Nylander. Matthews scored 33 goals in the 2024–25 season despite missing time with injuries. Nylander had 45 goals and 84 points, continuing to play an important role for the team.

Dakota Joshua appreciates the familiar coaching style under Craig Berube

Dakota Joshua spoke about Craig Berube and Rick Tocchet having a similar coaching style. He said both coaches prefer a hard-working, north-south game, which matches the way he plays.

“(Both Berube and Tocchet) like a hard-working, north-south game, which is my type of game,” Joshua said, via the Toronto Star on July 23.

Joshua called Berube a straight shooter who is clear about what he expects from players.

“Chief, he’s very professional and he’s a straight shooter," he said.

Dakota Joshua likes that Berube tells players where they stand and wants them to compete every night. He believes this honest approach helps him stay focused and ready to do his job.