St. Louis Blues rookie Dakota Joshua scored a key goal in his team’s 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks last week and became one of a growing number of NHL players of color.
A native of Dearborn, Mich., the 24-year-old Joshua was called up from Utica to bolster the Blues’ injury riddled line up. He was impressive during his seven minutes of ice time and tallied his first career goal in the third period.
After the game, Joshua said he was not sure exactly how he netted his first tally.
“I’m not too sure, it all happened really fast. A nice greasy, go-to-the-net goal,” Joshua told FoxSports Midwest.
“It was all I expected and then some. To play in the National Hockey League is the biggest honor you can have in the sport of hockey. So, it was an unreal experience to be a part of the club today.”
The Blues honored the NHL tradition of allowing first-game rookies to circle the ice alone one time before the contest began. He rewarded his team with a solid game and a needed spark.
“It was an amazing experience to get that solo lap and it’s a great group of guys in there and I’m happy I could bring some excitement to the room today,” Joshua said.
Blues head coach Craig Berube praised his on-ice smarts and energy.
“I’m very happy for him and proud for him to come in and get a goal in his first game in the NHL. That’s a huge thing for a young kid like him,” Berube said.
Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014, Joshua played with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the United States Hockey League before starring at Ohio State University four collegiate seasons.
The Blues acquired him a trade with the Maple Leafs in July 2019 and he was playing for the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League when called up by the Blues.
After playing four games, Joshua was demoted but returned to the Blues lineup for Monday’s overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Dak to Dak
It was a big start to March for another guy named Dakota too.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has reportedly agreed to a long-term contract with the franchise valued at $160 million over four years.
Details of the deal include Prescott banking $75 million in 2021 and $126 million over the first three seasons – an average of $42 million per season. Of the $160 million, $126 million is guaranteed and the new contract includes both no-trade and no-franchise tag guarantees.
Prescott will receive $66 million in signing bonus money, the most in NFL history. The figure surpasses Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson ($65 million) and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($57.5 million).
A press conference officially announcing the deal was scheduled for Wednesday (March 10).
The Reid Roundup
In a nation that can never get enough football, why aren’t any HBCU football games being televised on ESPN or another major outlet? In fact, no games from this unique spring season featuring Division II schools have been on national TV… Les Miles, who allegedly only wanted “blonds” with “big (chests)” working in the football office while at LSU, is out as football coach at Kansas. His past caught up with him… Maia Chaka will make history when NFL games resume as the first Black woman to serve as an official. She has officiated in both the Pac-12 Conference and Conference USA, and advanced her skills in the NFL’s Officiating Development Program… The site on Mars where the Perseverance rover landed has been renamed after the late Octavia E. Butler, a renowned science fiction author. She was the first Black American woman to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards that honor science fiction, and the first science fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.
Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and is a New York Times contributor. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook, a weekly contributor to “The Charlie Tuna Show” on KFNS and appears monthly on “The Dave Glover Show” on KMOX.
