During the first break of Wednesday’s match between the Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues on Sportsnet, Jeff Marek revealed that forward Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals is “firmly within Edmonton’s radar of interest.”
Dowd, aged 33, has accumulated 16 points in 45 games this season and a total of 143 points across 481 NHL games in his career. He has been sidelined since February 20th due to an upper-body injury, with the Capitals placing him on the Injured Reserve a couple of days later. In total, he has missed 13 out of Washington’s 58 games.
Dowd’s appeal lies in his history of playing a physical style, notably reaching a peak of 145 hits in the 2016/2017 season and totaling 888 hits overall.
Bob Stauffer has shown consistent interest in him for some time. Dowd is heavily involved in penalty kill minutes and demonstrates proficiency in face-offs. While he may not offer the flashy scoring often desired by Edmonton, he could be a valuable asset for revitalizing the penalty kill.
However, reports suggest that Washington is seeking a first-round draft pick in exchange for Dowd. Despite acknowledging Dowd’s valuable attributes, it’s challenging to justify such a high price for a player who hasn’t exceeded 25 points in a season.
If the Capitals were to lower their asking price, it’s likely that many Oilers fans would be more receptive to the idea of acquiring him.
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