Vancouver Canucks Forward Dakota Joshua urges men to prioritize their health as the player was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer. Joshua will be absent from the Canucks training camp while he recovers. At only 28 years young, this has shocked the NHL community. Presently, Joshua is recovering from a surgical procedure that removed the cancerous tumor and hopes to make it back out on the ice this season.
Dakota Joshua Diagnosis
Dakota Joshua announced today, September 17, 2024, that he had a cancerous testicular tumor removed during the summer. After being diagnosed, Joshua and his family took aggressive action, surgically removing the tumor. With testicular cancer being on the rise in many parts of the world, it is still rather uncommon in the United States of America. Roughly one in two hundred and fifty men will develop testicular cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. The Canuck zealously encouraged other men to visit their doctors for regular checks.
Although Joshua plans to play in the quickly approaching 2024-2025 NHL season, recovery from such a surgery is not always unchallenging, especially in comparison to the standards of health for a professional hockey player. During his announcement, Joshua noted the difficult effects of the procedure. “Unfortunately, I will not be ready for the start of training camp as I continue to heal from surgery. I plan on returning to play as soon as possible this season and I am working hard every day (to) rejoin my teammates.”
The Forward’s Promising Career
Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Dakota Joshua was quick to start his hockey obsession. The forward was drafted in 2014 by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round, as the 128th overall pick. He played for four years at Ohio State University, playing 128 games, scoring 41 goals, and earning 59 assists, totaling 100 points. He went on to play and win the Big 10 regular season championship in 2018-19.
On July 12, 2019, Toronto traded Dakota Joshua for “future considerations” to the St. Lious Blues. During the 2020-2021 NHL season, Joshua played 12 games for the St. Louis Blues and his faceoff percentage was 57.8. The next year, he played 30 games and averaged 53.3% on his faceoffs. On July 13, 2022, Dakota Joshua signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks, where he has remained. In his professional career, Joshua has played 128 games, has a total of 64 points, and has a faceoff percentage of 52.8%.
Final Thoughts
Cancer is a word often associated with a concrete, negative outcome. That is not always the case, and Dakota Joshua is sure to make that known. Taking the proactive approach, and encouraging other men to regularly receive checks at their local doctors, only motivates hope. NHL players are often held in the regard of being the pinnacle of health, though cancer is a nasty, and intrusive disease, it does not discriminate. With the support of Dakota Joshua’s friends and family, we can only project a healthy recovery, and to see him on the ice this coming season.
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