Nic Dowd
Alabama-born forward who debuted for Vegas in 2026.
Nic Dowd is a professional ice hockey forward from the United States who currently plays for the Vegas Golden Knights in the National Hockey League. He hails from Huntsville, Alabama, making him just the third NHL player ever to come from that state. The Los Angeles Kings picked him in the seventh round, 198th overall, during the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Over his career, he has also suited up for the Vancouver Canucks and the Washington Capitals.
Dowd grew up playing junior hockey in Huntsville before moving to Wenatchee, Washington, to join the Wenatchee Wild in the North American Hockey League. He then played for the Indiana Ice in Indianapolis before heading to St. Cloud State University, where he competed in the NCAA’s National Collegiate Hockey Conference. During his senior year, he earned a spot on the inaugural All-NCHC First Team and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Across his college career, he notched 52 goals and 69 assists for 121 points in 155 games.
Turning professional, Dowd signed an entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings on April 1, 2014, and was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs. He made his NHL debut on March 22, 2016, playing five games before returning to the Ontario Reign. The following season, on October 20, 2016, he scored his first NHL goal against the Dallas Stars.
On December 7, 2017, the Kings traded Dowd to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Jordan Subban. He finished the 2017–18 season with the Canucks, recording three goals in 40 games. As a free agent, he signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals on July 1, 2018. He later inked a three-year extension with the Capitals on April 11, 2019. During the 2020–21 season, he played on the Capitals’ fourth line alongside Garnet Hathaway and Carl Hagelin. On November 14, 2021, he signed another three-year, $3.9 million extension, and on April 16, 2025, he agreed to a two-year, $6 million extension.
Midway through his eighth season with Washington, the Capitals traded Dowd to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 5, 2026, for Jesper Vikman, a second-round pick in 2029, and a third-round pick in 2027. He made his Vegas debut two days later, logging just over 13 minutes of ice time in a 4–2 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1990-05-27
- Birth Place
- Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 2
- Weight Lb
- 196
- Position
- Forward
- Shoots
- Right
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Prospect League
- AHL
- Former Teams
- Los Angeles Kings / Vancouver Canucks / Washington Capitals
- Draft
- 198th overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dowd grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, playing junior hockey before moving to Wenatchee, Washington, to play for the Wenatchee Wild in the NAHL. He then played for the Indiana Ice before joining the St. Cloud State Huskies. In his senior year, he was named to the inaugural 2013–14 All-NCHC First Team and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He finished his college career with 52 goals and 69 assists for 121 points in 155 games.
After signing an entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, Dowd made his NHL debut in 2016 and scored his first NHL goal the following season. He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in December 2017, then signed as a free agent with the Washington Capitals in July 2018. He played on the Capitals' fourth line with Garnet Hathaway and Carl Hagelin during the 2020–21 season and signed multiple contract extensions with Washington.
Midway through his eighth season with the Capitals, Dowd was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 5, 2026, in exchange for Jesper Vikman, a second-round pick in 2029, and a third-round pick in 2027. He debuted for Vegas two days later, playing just over 13 minutes in a 4–2 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Reader's Guide
Nic Dowd's career is notable for his journey from Huntsville, Alabama—a state that had produced only two previous NHL players—to a long NHL tenure. His college success at St. Cloud State, including a Hobey Baker Award finalist selection and an All-NCHC First Team honor, marked him as a standout amateur player. After being drafted in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Kings, he worked his way through the AHL to earn an NHL debut in 2016. His first NHL goal came the following season against the Dallas Stars. Dowd's trade to the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 and subsequent signing with the Washington Capitals as a free agent in 2018 led to a stable role on the Capitals' fourth line, where he played alongside Garnet Hathaway and Carl Hagelin. He signed multiple contract extensions with Washington, including a three-year, $3.9 million deal in 2021 and a two-year, $6 million extension in 2025. In 2026, after eight seasons with the Capitals, he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming part of the franchise's roster. His legacy includes being one of the few NHL players from Alabama and a reliable forward who contributed to multiple teams over a decade-long professional career.
Did You Know?
- Nic Dowd is the third NHL player from the state of Alabama, after Jared Ross and Aud Tuten.
- He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in his senior year at St. Cloud State.
- He married his wife Paige, whom he met at St. Cloud State University, on August 11, 2017.
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