Capitals' Nic Dowd: Activated from injured reserve
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Dowd (upper body) was taken off injured reserve Friday, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.
Dowd has missed the last nine games after he was injured in the second game of the season versus Calgary. Dowd was pointless in the two contests and blocked seven shots before the injury. He'll likely return to a fourth-line role against the Devils on Friday.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Might travel with team
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Dowd (upper body) may join the Capitals for their upcoming two-game road trip, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports Thursday.
Dowd's presence on the trip doesn't guarantee that he will be ready to play against the Devils or Islanders on Friday or Saturday, respectively, but it certainly is a step in the right direction. If the 33-year-old center does suit up against New Jersey, it will end an eight-game stint on the sidelines due to his lingering upper-body issue. In order to return, Dowd will need to be activated off injured reserve, which could see Michael Sgarbossa sent back down to the minors.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Resumes skating
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Dowd (upper body) has begun skating on his own and could return to practice some time this week according to Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network reports.
Dowd has missed the last eight games with the injury and remains without a clear timetable for returning. The 33-year-old has always been an invaluable defensive specialist in his time with the Capitals, but he could see an increased role with Nicklas Backstrom (hip) unlikely to return this season and Connor McMichael still learning the ropes as a big-league pivot.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Moves to IR
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Dowd (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Sunday.
In a corresponding move, Hendrix Lapierre was recalled from AHL Hershey. Dowd, who last played Oct. 16 against Calgary, is eligible to be activated from injured reserve whenever he is cleared to return, but he won't play Sunday against the Sharks. Lapierre may replace Sonny Milano (illness) in the lineup for Sunday's contest.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Not expected to play Sunday
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Dowd (upper body) won't be available to return Sunday against San Jose, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com.
Dowd still needs to get into some practices before he is cleared to return to the lineup. Coach Spencer Carbery said Saturday that the team hopes to get some good news soon on Dowd, who hasn't played since Oct. 16 against Calgary.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Out Wednesday
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Dowd (upper body) will not play Wednesday against the Devils, Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post reports.
Dowd will miss his fourth straight game with the injury -- the Capitals will have to face the high-octane Devils without their top defensive forward. Alexei Protas will continue to fill in on the fourth line until Dowd is cleared to return.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Still sidelined
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According to coach Spencer Carbery, Dowd (upper body) remains "day-to-day to an extent" ahead of Tuesday's game versus Toronto, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network reports.
It sounds like Dowd is likely a little worse off than day-to-day at this point, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him miss a few more games with his upper-body issue. The 33-year-old vet has gone scoreless through two contests this campaign.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Not playing against Montreal
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Dowd (upper body) won't play Saturday against Montreal, according to Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post.
Dowd will miss a second straight game despite being on the ice for the morning skate ahead of both contests. During his absence, Anthony Mantha and Alexei Protas have been logging time on the fourth line.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Takes maintenance day
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Dowd (upper body) was held out of Friday's practice for "maintenance" reasons, Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post reports.
Dowd was held out of Thursday's 6-1 loss to the Senators and appears to be a genuine game-time decision for Saturday's showdown with the Canadiens. Alexei Protas figures to hold down the fourth-line center position as long as the 33-year-old Dowd remains out of the lineup
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Out of action Wednesday
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Dowd (upper body) won't play Wednesday versus the Senators.
It's unclear when Dowd sustained the injury, as he saw 15:06 of ice time in Monday's 3-2 shootout win over the Flames. He's blocked seven shots over two contests in a bottom-six role this season. Anthony Mantha will likely draw into the lineup in place of Dowd.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Given green light for camp
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Dowd (abdomen) is listed as healthy on the Capitals' training camp roster, which was released Tuesday.
Dowd underwent core surgery following 2022-23. It's unclear how long the injury bothered him, but he was productive with a career-high 25 points to go with 62 shots on goal, 136 hits and 61 blocked shots in 65 outings. The 33-year-old is expected to take on his usual fourth-line center role.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Undergoes core procedure
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Dowd underwent a core procedure following the 2022-23 campaign, according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com.
Dowd had 13 goals and 25 points in 65 outings in 2022-23, but he missed Washington's final three games because of the injury. Dowd should be ready for the start of training camp.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Won't play in season finale
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Dowd (undisclosed) will miss Thursday's game against New Jersey, per Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington.
Thursday's match is the Capitals' season finale, so Dowd will finish the campaign with 13 goals and 25 points in 65 contests. His last game of the campaign was April 8. Dowd is inked to a three-year, $3.9 million contract that runs through the 2024-25 campaign, so unless he's traded, the 32-year-old will be back with Washington next season.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Won't play against Bruins
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Dowd (undisclosed) won't be in the lineup Tuesday against Boston, Roman Stubbs of The Washington Post reports.
Dowd also missed Monday's 5-2 win over the Islanders. His availability for Thursday's regular-season finale against New Jersey is unclear at this time.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Uncertain for Monday
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Dowd (undisclosed) is unlikely to play Monday against the Islanders, Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports.
Dowd missed Monday's morning skate and does not seem likely to play against the Capitals' division rival. The 32-year-old's defensive prowess will be missed especially given that the Capitals are already missing key offensive contributors like Alex Ovechkin (upper body) and T.J. Oshie (upper body).
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Taking maintenance day
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Dowd will miss Tuesday's practice for maintenance reasons, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.
Dowd's availability for a crucial showdown against the Islanders does not appear to be in jeopardy, but further updates are likely forthcoming following Wednesday's morning skate. The 32-year-old has posted a career-high 13 goals and 25 points in 60 games this season.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Lights lamp Thursday
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Dowd registered a goal and a plus-2 rating during Thursday's 6-1 win over the Blackhawks.
Dowd has three goals and six points in his last 15 games since returning from a lower-body injury on Feb. 21 and has now set a new single-season high in goals (12) and tied a career-best 24 points in 58 games during the 2022-23 campaign. The 32-year-old remains an invaluable defensive presence in the Capitals' bottom six, but he lacks the high-powered offensive capabilities most fantasy managers covet.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Ties career high in goals
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Dowd provided a goal in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Islanders.
Dowd scored in the third period to increase Washington's lead to 4-1. It was his 11th goal and 22nd point in 53 games this season. Dowd has tied his career high in goals and is just two points away from his personal best in the latter category, which he set in 2021-22 with 24 points in 64 outings.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Bags apple
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Dowd tallied an assist and four PIM during Saturday's 8-3 win over the Sharks.
Dowd has two points in six games since returning from a lower-body injury that cost him 12 games during January and February. With Lars Eller having been traded to the Avalanche, the 32-year-old's importance in the defensive zone becomes even more critical for a Capitals team desperate to salvage their playoff hopes, but his lack of consistent offense keeps him off the fantasy radar in most formats.
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Capitals' Nic Dowd: Removed from IR
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Dowd (lower body) was activated from injured reserve Tuesday, per the NHL media site.
This paves the way for Dowd, who last played Jan. 16 against the Islanders, to return to the lineup Tuesday against Detroit. The 32-year-old forward has chipped in 19 points, 42 shots on goal, 37 blocks and 97 hits in 44 contests this campaign.
