Nic Dowd
| Birthday: 1990-05-27 | Position: C |
| Eligible for draft: 2009 | Shoots: Right |
| Drafted: 2009 | Height: 6-0 |
| Acquired: 7th round (198th overall), 2009 | Weight: 175 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2008-09: Skating with Wenatchee of the NAHL, Nic Dowd scored 49 points in 43 regular season games and performed even better in the playoff spotlight with 22 points in 13 games. Dowd was also a stalwart on the powerplay.
2009-10: With the Indiana Ice of the USHL, Dowd posted 16 goals and 23 assists in 46 games.
2010-11: Dowd skated in 36 of 38 games for St. Cloud State as a freshman and steadily increased his offensive production. Dowd had four points in his first 17 games as he made the adjustment to college hockey but finished with 5 goals and 13 assists and was +3 with 34 PMs. The Huskies finished tied for eighth place in the tough WCHA conference and were three games below .500.
2011-12: Dowd played a top line role for St. Cloud State in his sophomore year – playing alongside Calgary Flames prospect David Eddy much of the year. He scored 11 goals with 13 assists in 39 games and was plus-two with 36 penalty minutes. The Huskies struggled to stay above .500 for much of the year; finishing sixth in the WCHA during the regular season and falling to eventual champion North Dakota in the WCHA Final Five quarterfinal game.
2012-13: Dowd was the second-leading scorer for St. Cloud State in his junior season. The Huskies’ second center behind senior Drew LeBlanc (Chicago), he scored 14 goals with 25 assists and was +6 with 41 penalty minutes in 42 games. St. Cloud State finished tied with Minnesota for first in the WCHA and rebounded from a loss to Wisconsin in the WCHA semifinals to reach the Frozen Four. The Huskies defeated Notre Dame (5-1) and Miami (4-1) to capture the NCAA Midwest Regional before falling to Quinnipiac, 4-1, in the Frozen Four semifinals.
2013-14: Dowd signed a one-year entry-level contract with Los Angeles following his senior year at St. Cloud State and made his pro hockey debut with the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs in April 2014. He had 3 assists and was +1 with no penalties in seven regular season games. The Monarchs finished first in the Atlantic Division but were defeated by Norfolk in four games in a best-of-five first round playoff series. Dowd played in all four playoff games, scoring his first professional goal, and had an even plus/minus with no penalties. Dowd was the second-leading scorer for St. Cloud State behind fellow Kings’ prospect Jonny Brodzinski. He scored a team-high 22 goals and had 19 assists in 38 games, finishing +17 with 32 penalty minutes. The Huskies captured the first-ever National Collegiate Hockey Conference regular season title and reached the finals of the NCAA West Regional. After being swept by Miami in a two-game NCHA quarterfinal series, St. Cloud State defeated Notre Dame 4-3 in overtime in the NCAA West regional semifinal before falling to Minnesota, 4-0.
2014-15: Dowd attended his first NHL training camp with the Kings before being assigned to AHL affiliate Manchester. He scored 9 goals with 32 assists and was +17 with 44 penalty minutes in 75 regular season games. The Monarchs finished first in the Atlantic Division and rolled through the Calder Cup playoffs, defeating Utica in the finals. Dowd scored 7 goals with 6 assists and was +6 with 10 penalty minutes in 19 playoff games. Dowd was re-signed by the Kings to a one-year contract as a restricted free agent in July 2015.
2015-16: Dowd is the second-leading scorer for Kings’ AHL affiliate Ontario in his second pro season. The Reign are battling the Texas Stars for the top spot in the Pacific Division.
Talent Analysis
Dowd plays a high-energy style of game, often times getting into opponents' faces and has some offensive ability. In his first season of pro hockey following a four-year college career at St. Cloud State, he is more of a playmaker than a true scorer. ON aspect of his game that makes him popular with scouts and teammates is his willingness to go into the hard areas to create scoring chances or gain possession of the puck.
Future
Dowd is in his second AHL season — skating for Los Angeles' new California-based AHL affiliate the Ontario Reign in 2015-16. An effective playmaking forward at that level, Dowd uses his skating ability to provide hardness on the forecheck while chipping in offensively. Dowd, 25, does not have a high ceiling in terms of NHL potential but his hockey instincts and the ability and willingness to fill a variety of roles suggests he can be a solid lower line forward.
