BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 30: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with Brandon Carlo #25 after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
There is no denying that the Boston Bruins‘ number one need is top-six center. Since the departures of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle have performed admirably, however, this glaring void reared its ugly head again this postseason when Zacha and Coyle combined for two goals in 13 playoff games. Without a top center, the Bruins will find it very challenging to compete for a Stanley Cup again. This Cup Final between Edmonton and Florida is a harsh reminder of that reality, with world-class talents Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Sasha Barkov, and Sam Bennett being all first-round draft picks and highly-regarded prospects when entering the NHL.
The price to pay for top center talent is steep, and Boston might not be able to pay it this off-season. If General Manager Don Sweeney has to go in a different direction, rugged forward Dakota Joshua might be a good fit at center. The 28-year-old scored 18 goals and collected 14 assists in 63 regular season games with the Vancouver Canucks this season with a plus-19 rating. However, the most attractive part of Joshua’s game might be his physicality, as he dished out 245 hits on the year. In the postseason, Joshua delivered with four goals and four assists in 13 games with 74 hits. His time on ice increased to almost 16 minutes per game in the playoffs as well.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound center was a fifth-round draft pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 and played college hockey at Ohio State. On July 12, 2019, Joshua was traded to St. Louis, where he played parts of two seasons with the Blues, totaling four goals in 42 games. In 2022 the Dearborn, Michigan native, signed as a free agent with Canucks and has played two full seasons and improved his production along the way.
Joshua’s salary cap hit was just under $800,000 the past two seasons and he will be looking for a pay raise. If the Bruins can sign Joshua in the $3 million range or lower, the team may find a gem and a player who would be an instant fan favorite in Boston for his rugged, hitting style. It also wouldn’t help for Joshua to assume a third-line center role with an ability to score 20 goals and be a physical presence that would help change the dynamic of the team.
