Vancouver Canucks center Dakota Joshua released a statement on Tuesday that he will miss the start of training camp after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
A statement from Dakota Joshua: pic.twitter.com/7kaZV7Lw1Z
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 17, 2024
Joshua will miss the start of training camp in order to recover from the surgery that removed the tumor. According to his statement, the surgery was a success.
“This summer, I felt a lump on one of my testicles that doctors would later diagnose as testicular cancer.,” said Joshua in a statement shared by the Canucks. “This news was obviously scary to hear, but thankfully, doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor. The last several weeks have been extremely challenging and l’ve been fortunate to have the support of my family, friends, teammates, and doctors.
“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 re-join my teammates.
“Although it was very difficult to face the reality of this specific type of cancer, getting checked by a doctor quickly was the best approach and I encourage men to get checked regularly for testicular cancer. As I continue with my recovery, I thank everyone in advance for respecting my privacy concerning this matter. The team will provide updates as appropriate. In the meantime, I thank everyone for their support and understanding.”
Joshua had just signed a new four-year contract with a $3.25 million with the Canucks in the offseason, so there will be a bit of a delay in getting into game action with the new deal.
Joshua is coming off of a breakout season in 2023-24, where he had 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points in 63 games. He also had 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 13 playoff games as the Canucks were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in seven games by the Edmonton Oilers.
Joshua was a originally a fifth-round pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014, although he didn’t make his professional hockey debut until he signed an entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. After making his NHL debit in the 2020-21 season, he spent two seasons with the Blues before joining the Canucks in 2022 via free agency.