The season’s only a quarter of the way through, but we’re all in on Nic Dowd. The fourth-line center came to the Capitals over the summer along with his family: wife Paige and dog Arlo.
Yes, he’s helped an injury-plagued team win six-straight games–but there’s more to appreciate about Nic Dowd than his hockey.
Here are a few good reasons.
#10 – He loves his dad
#Caps center Nic Dowd scored in both games with his dad Alan in attendance this weekend in NYC. Cause he ALWAYS does: that: "It's just by happenstance, but…I’m sure the universe is connected somehow. I feel better when he's around, when family is around.”
— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) November 27, 2018
“It’s going to be worth my career to have him move to Virginia,” Dowd said, according to NBCSW’s Brian McNally. “We’ll have to cancel the flight home for him and keep him here.”
The Dowds had the chance to get even closer, as apparently the two of them had to squeeze into Madison Bowey’s locker to make room for the scrum of reporters crowding around Nicklas Backstrom.
#9 – Alabama pioneer
Shout out Nic Dowd for getting Alabama on the map https://t.co/0vfYwPgLXJ
— thank you trace (@ryanisntreal) June 19, 2018
Dowd is the first Alabama-born native to be drafted in the NHL, and the first to score a goal since 1942-43. He has many positive things to say about the hockey scene in Huntsville, AL.
“I’d say it’s a little bit similar to Southern California,” Dowd said in an Ontario Reign interview, “in the way that people always ask, ‘There’s ice out there??’ and stuff like that. I don’t think people realize it until you actually get to Alabama, which a lot of people don’t get to Alabama…There’s a lot of hockey there.”
(If you wondered why his dad had a British accent in the Mentor’s Trip video, it’s because both of his parents are from England; his father’s a doctor and his mother is a nurse.)
#8 – His nickname
His coach freshman year gave him the nickname Speed Ball. “Then, after my freshman year, my coach kind of referred to me as a speed ball – it’s just my attention span – here, here, here.”
No word yet on if that’s his nickname with the Capitals.
#7 – Heard about being drafted at Walmart
Dowd was working at a summer camp, and didn’t know the draft was happening. He found out the Kings had selected him via a text message on his way back from Walmart:
“When you come in as a new guy, I had no clue what was going on. In contrast to a lot of kids that build up to the NHL Draft and know they’re going to get drafted and have had their sights on that goal for a long time… I didn’t even know a draft was going on. I was in Walmart that day and had no clue until I got a text message.
Driving back from Walmart that day, all of a sudden I got a text that said ‘You’ve just been drafted into the NHL’ and I was like ‘What the hell?’ I was in the back seat and all my buddies in the car turned around and looked at me and were like, ‘No way!’ The text didn’t say a team or anything. We had no clue. So, the car got a little faster and we got back to the place and checked the computer and there it was.
#6 – His glorious flow
Nic Dowd’s hockey hair at its peak rivals any Capital (other than Nicklas Backstrom during the lockout). When he cut his long luxurious locks in college, it was so he could donate it to charity.
#5 – Brings a 6-pack to the party
Yup, we’re talking about his abs.
#4 – He’s good at the hockey
CAPS TODAY: Nic Dowd is on a three game point streak for the third time in his career and his first two game goal streak. More info on Dowd and the Caps at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/vT6EiG1vA1
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 29, 2018
He’s on a three game point streak! He’s on his first ever two-game goal streak (because he scored in both games his dad was watching; see #10 for details)! He’s already exceeded last season’s point total in less than half the amount of games–three goals and two assists in 20 games for the Caps, versus three goals and one assist in 56 games with the Kings and Canucks!
Also, his shot-attempts percentage during his rookie season was 69.3 percent.
#3 – His dog, Arlo the Golden Retriever
Arlo, who you can see in the Capitals’ canine calendar’s January shoot, has also won the LA Kings’ pet contest–and quite frankly deserves a list of his own. But first, he really needs a Caps jersey.
#2 – Wants to help animals
Not only has Dowd already started supporting Homeward Trails Animal Rescue, he actually studied to be a veterinarian by majoring in biomedicine at St. Cloud State University.
DOWD: My emphasis was veterinarian medicine. I graduated with a biomedicine degree, but I took a lot of animal behavior classes.
INTERVIEWER: After you retire, do you plan on becoming Dr. Dowd?
DOWD: I don’t know. It’s a long way to go. It’s another 3, 4, 5 years…to become a doctor. I always wanted to be a vet, so we’ll see.
#1 – He’s a Washington Capital now
Photo: RMNB/Elizabeth Kong
Headline photo: @arlothegolden
