The puck hasn’t dropped for the 2023-24 NHL season, yet we’re already getting trade rumors about Washington Capitals players. The Caps, who were trade deadline sellers last year, will look to avoid being in that position again this year but teams will be circling certain players on their roster just in case.
One of the main targets for other clubs will be fourth-line center Nic Dowd. The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Tuesday that “teams are already clamoring” for Dowd as a potential trade deadline target.
He won’t generate the headlines or gargantuan return, but teams are already clamoring for Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd as a low-key trade deadline target. Cup Contenders see Dowd, a complete fourth line center who does everything well, as an affordable player with term on his contract who can be a difference maker.
Despite going through injury issues, which included a 16-game absence with a lower-body issue, and the team’s overall middling performance, Dowd had a landmark 2022-23, setting a career high in goals (13) and points (25) while being part of one of the most effective checking lines in the league.
Dowd will come into the 2023-24 campaign as the only remaining forward from the Caps’ fourth line under former head coach Peter Laviolette. Garnet Hathaway was traded to the Boston Bruins at last year’s deadline and signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in free agency this past summer. Carl Hagelin was forced into retirement by his unfortunate eye injury.
After this year’s Training Camp and preseason, Dowd looks like he’ll be taking up his normal spot in the middle of that fourth line but this time flanked by two 2023 Calder Cup champions in Beck Malenstyn and Aliaksei Protas.
The 33-year-old Alabama native, underwent surgery on his core during the offseason. He will be healthy for the start of the regular season but anticipates needing to do regular upkeep on the problem.
“Looking every day to build on the last one and not have any setbacks,” Dowd said last week. “I think a lot of maintenance, a lot of rehab, a lot of warming up skating getting ready before practice. Stuff like that is probably going to follow me now for the rest of my career. Just how it works as you get a little older. It’s a tough game, so it’s kind of to be expected. I’ve been fortunate so far.”
Dowd has two years remaining on the three-year extension he signed with the Caps in November of 2021. The deal has an average annual value of $1.3 million.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
