Jake Dowell

Last updated

Jake Dowell
Jake Dowell Houston.jpg
Dowell with the Houston Aeros in February 2013
Born (1985-03-04) March 4, 1985 (age 40)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position Center
Shot Left
Played for Chicago Blackhawks
Dallas Stars
Minnesota Wild
EHC Black Wings Linz
NHL draft 140th overall, 2004
Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career 20062018

Jacob Charles Dowell (born March 4, 1985) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild.

Contents

Playing career

Youth

Dowell grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and played for Memorial High School in Eau Claire for two seasons, totaling 90 points. In both seasons, Dowell helped lead the Old Abes to sectional championships and state tournament berths.

Dowell left Memorial High School to be a part of the USA Hockey U-18 Developmental Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the year 2001. Later, Dowell returned to Wisconsin to play college hockey for the Wisconsin Badgers where he won a National Championship. Dowell was selected in the fifth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Professional (2007–2018)

Dowell signed an entry-level contract with Chicago in July 2007. On November 23, 2007, Dowell scored a short-handed goal in his first NHL game, a 2–1 win over the Calgary Flames. [1] Dowell broke his foot the next game, but recovered from the injury to play 17 more games in the 2007–08 season.

Dowell was only called up to play in one contest in the 2008–09 season. He was on the Blackhawks active roster as a black ace against Vancouver and Detroit in the playoffs, but he did not play.

During the 2009–10 season, Dowell played three games for the Hawks with a goal and an assist for two points along with 78 games for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL with seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points. [2] [3] After the Blackhawks defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, Dowell received a ring from the Blackhawks but his name was not included on the Cup due to not playing any playoff games and only playing three games in the regular season and none in the playoffs.

Dowell (right) and Troy Brouwer with the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2011 Troy Brouwer and Jake Dowell.jpg
Dowell (right) and Troy Brouwer with the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2011

Dowell finished the 2010–11 season, his first full season at the NHL level with six goals, 15 assists and 21 points in 79 games played regularly playing on the third and fourth lines and occasional time on the teams penalty killing units. The defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks narrowly qualified for the playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference and Dowell made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on April 13, 2011, in game 1 of the first round against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks where the Blackhawks lost with a score of 2–0. [4] The Blackhawks would eventually fall to the Canucks in seven games and Dowell finished the playoffs with no points in two games. [5] After the Blackhawks elimination from the playoffs, Dowell revealed he had been playing with a broken ankle suffered on February 1, 2011, in a 7–4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets as a result of blocking a slap shot from Blue Jackets defenseman Anton Strålman. [6] [7]

On July 1, 2011, the Dallas Stars announced that the club had agreed to terms with center Dowell on a one-year contract worth $800,000. On February 21, 2012, in a 3–0 win over the Montreal Canadiens, Dowell suffered a broken finger, resulting in him missing the next seven games. [8] He finished the 2011–12 season, Dowell played in 52 games contributing with two goals and five assists for seven points.

On July 4, 2012, Dowell signed a two-year free agent contract with the Minnesota Wild. [9] Over the duration of his contract with the Wild, Dowell amassed just three games (two games in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season and one game in the 2013–14 season, whilst primarily playing with AHL affiliates, the Houston Aeros and the Iowa Wild.

On July 28, 2014, Dowell signed a one-year free agent contract with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. [10]

On August 31, 2015, Dowell signed a professional tryout contract in returning to attend the Rockford IceHogs training camp for the 2015–16 season. [11] After five games with the IceHogs on October 22, 2015, Dowell was signed to an AHL contract to continue in Rockford for the remainder of the season. [12]

After captaining the IceHogs in the 2016–17 season, and posting 15 points in 66 games, Dowell as a free agent opted to sign his first contact abroad in agreeing to a one-year deal with Austrian club, EHC Black Wings Linz of the EBEL, on May 12, 2017. [13]

Personal life

Dowell and his family have worked to raise awareness and find a cure for Huntington's disease, a disease which has afflicted his brother and his father, whom he lost to the disease in February 2014 and August 2018, respectively. [14] The Dowells host fundraisers to battle the disease. [15] Dowell himself has tested negative for Huntington's in December 2015. [16] For his work to cure Huntington's while still committing to playing hockey, Dowell was awarded the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award during the 2013–14 season. [17]

Dowell is married to his wife, Carly, together they have one daughter and one son. [16]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeague GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 Memorial High School HSWI 24253055
2001–02 US NTDP U17 USDP1151614
2001–02US NTDP U18 NAHL 445121751
2002–03US NTDP U18NAHL922413
2002–03US NTDP U18USDP548172554
2003–04 University of Wisconsin WCHA 376131948
2004–05 University of WisconsinWCHA3812142674
2005–06 University of WisconsinWCHA435152042
2006–07 University of WisconsinWCHA411962554
2006–07 Norfolk Admirals AHL 9235860334
2007–08 Rockford IceHogs AHL497101764121126
2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 1921310
2008–09 Rockford IceHogsAHL756142012840000
2008–09 Chicago BlackhawksNHL10002
2009–10 Rockford IceHogsAHL78716239640000
2009–10 Chicago BlackhawksNHL31125
2010–11 Chicago BlackhawksNHL79615216320000
2011–12 Dallas Stars NHL5225753
2012–13 Houston Aeros AHL374593440114
2012–13 Minnesota Wild NHL20000
2013–14 Iowa Wild AHL577121956
2013–14 Minnesota WildNHL10000
2014–15 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL765101575
2015–16 Rockford IceHogsAHL721124359930224
2016–17 Rockford IceHogsAHL6641115101
2017–18 EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz EBEL 2245931
NHL totals15711223313320000

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2002 United States U17 Gold medal icon.svg62132
2003 United States WJC18 4th601110
2004 United States WJC Gold medal icon.svg60222
2005 United StatesWJC4th703312
Junior totals2527926

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
WCHA All-Tournament Team 2007 [18]
AHL
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award 2014 [17]

References

  1. "Jake Dowell Scores 1st NHL Goal Thursday in Calgary". weau.com. November 22, 2007. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  2. "Kane's late goal guarantees Wild 0-8 road start". ESPN.com. ESPN. Associated Press. October 27, 2009. Archived from the original on July 30, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  3. "Blackhawks clip Jackets in shootout to cap prebreak surge". ESPN . ESPN. Associated Press. February 14, 2010. Archived from the original on July 30, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  4. "Roberto Luongo (32 saves), Canucks blank Blackhawks in opener". ESPN . ESPN. April 14, 2011. Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  5. "Alex Burrows' OT goal lifts Canucks past defending Cup champ Hawks in Game 7". ESPN . ESPN. Associated Press. April 27, 2011. Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  6. Jon Fromi (May 15, 2011). "Chicago Blackhawks: The Case for Retaining Jake Dowell". bleacherreport.com. The Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  7. Eric Lindqist (June 11, 2011). "Dowell's heart guides his actions". leadertelegram.com. Leader Telegram. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  8. CBS Chicago (February 23, 2012). "Stars Put An End To Blackhawks' Resurgence". cbsnews.com. CBS News. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  9. "Wild agrees to terms with Jake Dowell". Minnesota Wild. July 4, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  10. "Bulldogs sign Jake Dowell to one-year contract". Hamilton Bulldogs. July 28, 2014. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  11. "Former IceHogs captain returns to Rockford on PTO". Rockford IceHogs. August 31, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  12. "IceHogs sign Dowell, recall DeSousa". Rockford IceHogs. October 22, 2015. Archived from the original on October 28, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  13. "A leader for the Black Wings" (in German). EHC Black Wings Linz. May 12, 2017. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  14. Campbell, Ken (December 14, 2015). "JAKE DOWELL'S HAPPINESS TEMPERED BY SOBERING REALITY". thehockeynews.com. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  15. "Jake Dowell: I'm negative for Huntington's". Leader-Telegram. December 13, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  16. 1 2 Kuc, Chris (December 25, 2015). "Clean bill of health a relief to former Blackhawk Jake Dowell, family". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  17. 1 2 "DOWELL NAMED WINNER OF FRED T. HUNT AWARD". theahl.com. April 11, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  18. "WCHA Tourney History". WCHA. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2014.