Maple Leafs player still not up to speed at camp as Jim Hiller sends clear warning

Toronto opens its season on September 29 against Montreal, and right now nobody in the organization is willing to say whether Joshua will be ready for it.

Head coach Jim Hiller told reporters this week that Joshua simply hasn't had enough time to get back to full speed, catching his wind and finding his legs after dealing with something the team hasn't detailed publicly.

It's not a dramatic update on paper, but the subtext is hard to miss.

Joshua spent last season as a full time piece of Toronto's bottom six after arriving from Vancouver, and he chipped in ten goals and eight assists across 55 games.

That track record used to be enough to feel safe.

Not anymore. John Chayka reshaped the forward group over the summer, bringing in Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime, while Steven Lorentz is also pushing for minutes on that same left side.

Suddenly a spot that once looked settled is very much up for grabs.

While Joshua works his way back, he has been skating with the Marlies rather than the main group, and Bo Groulx has stepped in as the 13th forward in his place.

Groulx has impressed enough in camp that Hiller singled him out as a smart, capable player.

That's the uncomfortable reality Joshua returns to once he's cleared.

Being hurt at any point during camp is a tough break.

Being hurt while your job is actively being auditioned for someone else is a different kind of pressure entirely.

Toronto still has just over a week before puck drop, and how quickly Joshua rounds back into game shape could shape his role for the entire season.

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