Brad Treliving’s stated goal of acquiring a top-six forward to replace some of Mitch Marner’s contributions also comes with a subplot of developing a legitimate, two-way, hard-to-play-against third line for the post-season.

In a move that wasn’t on many people’s radar, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick. No reports were linking Joshua to Toronto ahead of the deal, making the trade one of the offseason’s true surprises, albeit not one involving a bona fide superstar.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Maple Leafs Acquire Veteran Forward in Trade With Canucks. The Toronto Maple Leafs added some forward depth on Thursday, agreeing to a trade with the Vancouver Canucks in order to acquire center Dakota Joshua.