Despite facing some adversity with a few losses in recent games, the New York Rangers have been red-hot during the first half of their 2023-24 campaign. Having been defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-1 loss last night (Jan. 18), the Rangers have slowed down from what was one of the best starts to a season they could have asked for. While the team still has no major issues as far as any big holes in their defensive core, offensive production, or goaltending, the Rangers will likely still be buyers as the trade deadline gets closer if they hope to go all-in for a Stanley Cup this season.
One name that has come up in trade talks recently is Washington Capitals forward Nic Dowd, who has provided strong depth over the past several seasons and could be a huge addition to any team if he becomes available. With a tight Metropolitan Division race leaving some teams’ goals for this season up in the air, organizations will be lining up for Dowd if the Capitals find themselves on the outside looking into the postseason when the deadline comes around, and the Rangers should be one of those teams.
The Rangers’ forward depth is rather strong at both ends of the ice, but adding someone like Dowd to give them a defensive boost would be a great add heading into the postseason. He has proven countless times that he can be counted on in defensive situations late in games and on the penalty kill with the Capitals, and the Rangers could benefit from a player with his skill set.
At 33 years old, Dowd brings a veteran presence to the Capitals that plenty of teams could take advantage of heading into the postseason. He stands 6-foot-2, 196 pounds, and has a $1.3 million cap hit, which is very affordable for a player of his caliber. The Los Angeles Kings drafted him in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Draft at 198th overall. He got his first taste of NHL action during the 2015-16 season when he played five games with the Kings, but he spent the majority of the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Ontario Reign, where he scored 14 goals and added 34 assists for 48 points through 58 games.
Dowd became a mainstay at the NHL level the following season, where he played 70 games with the Kings, scoring six goals and adding 16 assists for 22 points. The following season, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Jordan Subban but only played 40 games with them before joining the Capitals the following season, where he’s played since the 2018-19 season. In 470 games throughout his NHL career, he has scored 65 goals and added 74 assists for 139 points, which comes out to a 0.30 points-per-game average.
This season, Dowd has scored seven goals and added five assists for 12 points through 34 games and has been a fantastic defensive forward. His value to the Capitals might be quite high, but I don’t think he would be untouchable by any means. Should the Rangers have any interest in him, the ask in return from the Capitals likely wouldn’t be something that pushes the team to look elsewhere, so getting a deal done shouldn’t be too hard.
Should the Rangers try and bring in Dowd, he would provide strong defensive depth and be a perfect fit for the fourth line. As a player with term on his contract, with his current deal expiring after the 2024-25 season, the Capitals would likely want a prospect and a pick in return for him. I would predict a trade between the two looks like the Rangers acquiring Dowd in exchange for Brett Berard and the Rangers’ 2026 third-round pick. As of right now, the Rangers have roughly $4.4 million in deadline cap space, so they wouldn’t need to make a move to free up money.
What’s Next for the Rangers?
The Rangers will be looking to bounce back in a big way when they face the Kings on Saturday (Jan. 20) and will be hoping to pick up a much-needed win after a terrible loss. The Rangers are still in a good position right now and should be buying at the trade deadline. Whether or not they get Dowd is up to the team themselves, but hopefully, they make the right moves and can make an impressive run in this season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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