On Wednesday, the Washington Capitals announced that the team has re-signed forward Nic Dowd to a two-year contract extension. The deal, set to kick in next season, will carry an AAV of $3 million.
The Washington Capitals have re-signed center Nic Dowd to a two-year, $6 million contract extension. Dowd, 34, has recorded a career-high 27 points (14g, 13a) in 81 games this season. Dowd’s 14 goals and 81 games played are also single-season career highs. pic.twitter.com/RyeZqGUes4
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) April 16, 2025
Dowd is receiving a nice pay bump next year. He’s in the final season of a three-year contract that he signed with the Capitals in Nov. 2021. That deal has a cap hit of $1.3 million. The 34-year-old’s upcoming contract will feature the highest AAV of his NHL career.
Dowd’s raise comes after his most productive season ever. In 81 games, the Huntsville, Alabama native set career highs in goals (14) and points (27). During his tenure with the Capitals, he has been close to hitting the 20-point mark every season. The only times Dowd failed to reach that total were during the 2019-20 and 2021 COVID-shortened seasons.
Dowd started his career with the Los Angeles Kings, the team that took him in the seventh round, 198th overall, of the 2009 NHL Draft. After parts of three seasons with the Kings, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in December 2017. The following summer, Dowd signed with Washington as a free agent and has been a Cap ever since.
In 581 NHL appearances, Dowd has scored 84 goals and 92 assists for 176 points, including five points in 30 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Capitals hope Dowd’s depth scoring continues into the playoffs, as the team hopes they can make a deep run in what has been an amazing season for the franchise. Washington has already clinched first place in the Eastern Conference and is waiting to see if they have to play the Montreal Canadiens or Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the postseason.