There was a vocal minority on Facebook that wanted the Vegas Golden Knights to go grab a goaltender at the trade deadline. They were hoping that Kelly McCrimmon would wave his magic wand and make Connor Hellebuyck magically appear in Las Vegas. Did it happen on Friday?
No.
That vocal minority was mad that they got Cole Smith and Nic Dowd that week. Of course, the Golden Knights also picked up Rasmus Andersson earlier, trading away Zach Whitecloud, Abram Wiebe, and a couple of draft picks along the way. Oddly enough, this was the right move since Vegas had a top-heavy forward group.
Fortunately, McCrimmon took a different approach to the glaring goaltending issue. Aside from not finding anyone who can successfully replace Adin Hill, the Golden Knights could rely on defensively inclined players. That includes Dowd, who's developed a sterling reputation as one of the most underrated defenders.
So, hear me out, dear reader. I'm here to act as a personal advocate for the former Washington Capitals center. There's a bigger picture that McCrimmon hopes to achieve with the defensive structure, starting with the guys down the middle. Here's why you shouldn't sleep on the newest Golden Knights acquisition.
Why Vegas Golden Knights fans shouldn't sleep on Nic Dowd entering the fold
Statistically, Dowd has done well for himself as a defensive center. He has an 82-game defensive point share average of 1.3, making him extremely valuable. That comes with a penchant for taking the puck away, where he has an 82-game average of 35 takeaways.
Do you want physicality? Do you like people being hit? Well, Dowd also does that, averaging 153 hits in an 82-game setting in his career. He had 113 hits with the Capitals this season, providing more oomph to protect Alex Ovechkin and company.
Perhaps you want another Golden Knight who can win some key faceoffs? Maybe you want those in the defensive zone, specifically in late-game situations? Have no fear because Dowd is here. He has a career face-off win percentage of 50.8%, making him one of the most important closers around.
Dowd is more than a defensive star, though
The Golden Knights are also getting a good depth scorer from the Capitals in Dowd. The 35-year-old has an 82-game-average of 11 goals and 13 assists. The Huntsville native had 12 assists with Washington this season, making him one of the better depth pieces around.
Sure, he might only have four goals this season. But the Golden Knights have been hurting for someone to step up and score this season. A slew of injuries and underwhelming play have contributed to this, making Dowd a welcome addition. That's especially true when you can plug in someone to essentially play William Karlsson's role, only in a diet form.
Speaking of which, imagine having two matchup nightmares down the middle. That's what the Golden Knights would be getting next season (barring a drastic move for anybody, including... a goaltender). It could invoke memories of past Vegas teams that played excellent defense in the past. Of course, that all starts with Dowd anchoring the lower units.