Is Dakota Joshua's contract really as bad as some fans are saying?

Acquired this past offseason in order to add more physicality and depth to the lineup, Dakota Joshua's tenure with the Maple Leafs so far has been a mixed bag.

Through 19 games this season, Joshua has five points though he has been bringing the physicality, leading the team by a fair margin in hits (65).

But with the lack of offense and fans getting nervous about the future outlook of this season, some fans are starting to wonder whether Joshua was worth the price.

So let's try and break it down and see if fans have a right to be worried or if they are just afraid of being burned again.

Traded on July 17 to the Maple Leafs for a 2028 fourth-round pick, Joshua's overall cost to be acquired was not expensive in the grand scheme of things, though he did come with a $3.25-million cap hit.

He's signed through 2028 and won't be easy to get rid of if the team decides to move on in the future due to his 12-team no trade clause. It will be harder for the team to find a buyer if he struggles, because the clause blocks trades to certain teams altogether.

He's currently making more than Scott Laughton, Calle Jarnkrok, Bobby McMann, Steven Lorentz, Nic Roy, and Nick Robertson.

Even with salary retained on Laughton's deal, his actual cap hit for Toronto would still be lower than Joshua's.

Robertson has emerged as a top-six player, while McMann, Lorentz, and Jarnkrok have all added at least some impact to the lineup on the cheap. That's a big part of why some fans already see his contract as a problem.

But is it actually worth it?

Even with a shaky start, there are reasons to think Joshua can still be a useful piece in the lineup.

Craig Berube, his current coach, was the one who gave him his start in St. Louis; something Joshua noted prior to the season. He knows the game plan and understands the style of system being implemented.

He's the team's physical force right now on the bottom-six, and looking at his 2023-24 season; he's shown he can be effective on the PK.

There's also some goal-scoring potential too, as he's had an 18-goal season and provides a steady, big and powerful net presence which is something Toronto hasn't had.

The issue being, what if all we get is that potential with no results? It's great if Joshua can bring physicality, but he's risking falling into 'Ryan Reaves territory' if he doesn't pick up the offense.

Three years with Joshua will be tough for fans especially if he becomes part of the problem and not the solution and as previously mentioned his no-trade clause adds a new layer to his situation.

But if he can find his groove with Nic Roy and provide some tertiary offense, keep up that physical nature, and give the stars some rest on the PK that'll be worth his price.

It's expensive, but not nearly as catastrophic as parts of Leafs Twitter are making it out to be.