NHL Insider shares the specifics on the Leafs F Dakota Joshua kidney injury, provides clarity on his season

It has been a trying season for the Toronto Maple Leafs when it comes to injuries, with several key names spending significant time on the sidelines. One of those players is newcomer Dakota Joshua, who suffered a reported kidney injury in Detroit last week, with no timeline for his return currently set.

There was some internal bleeding that caused a great deal of concern for Joshua, and the player was admitted to a Detroit hospital where he stayed for multiple days for treatment and observation.

Now, thanks to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, we have more specifics on the injury, which Pagnotta revealed to be a lacerated kidney.

Originally, the belief was that Joshua could miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season, but according to Pagnotta, there is a strong belief that the former 18-goal scorer will return at some point this season.

The Leafs have kept right on rolling in Joshua's absence, but there's no question that Craig Berube would love to have a big, nasty winger like Joshua in the lineup for his penalty killing acumen, heavy forechecking ability and his scoring touch.

This is great news, especially given the obvious concerns over another veteran on the roster potentially dealing with a season-ending injury in Chris Tanev.

Also read on Toronto Hockey Daily :
Craig Berube not happy with Joseph Woll after poor decision results in a Leafs OT loss