Rockford IceHogs: Jake Dowell Re-Signed To One-Year Deal

Icehogs Re-Sign Captain Jake Dowell

On Tuesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks organization announced that their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, had re-signed Center Jake Dowell to a one-year AHL deal through the 2016-17 season. Dowell, joined the IceHogs on a professional tryout contract in 2014 before earning an AHL contract and eventually becoming the IceHogs Captain this season.

Dowell Coming Off Best Season Of Career

In the 2015-16 season with the IceHogs, Dowell finished with his career best statistical numbers in a full AHL season. Playing in 72 games with Rockford, Dowell tallied 35 points (11 Goals, 24 Assists), and in January was named to the AHL All-Star Game along with teammates Ryan Hartman and Michael Leighton. Dowell’s 35 points ranked him fifth on the team in 2015-16 and his 24 assists ranked third. Dowell also won the team’s “Unsung Hero” award this season.

With Dowell back in the mix for the 2016-17 campaign, little question is left as to who will be one of, if not the go to leader in the locker room for the IceHogs next season. With expectations high in 2016-17 for the entire organization, both for Rockford and Chicago, having Dowell back gives the IceHogs a needed boost of confidence after being swept out of the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs by the Lake Erie Monsters earlier this month.

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Well Deserved Extension for Dowell

A Wisconsin native, Dowell was selected by the Blackhawks in the fifth round of 2004 NHL Draft after playing with the United States Development Program Under-18 team and went on to play four years at the University of Wisconsin. Dowell played 159 games at Wisconsin, scoring 90 points and won a National Championship with the Badgers in 2006.

Since making his professional debut in 2007, Dowell has skated in 453 AHL games with the IceHogs, Hamilton Bulldogs, Iowa Wild, Houston Areos, and Norfolk Admirals (formerly the Blackhawks AHL affiliate until the 2007-08 season).

Over those 453 games, Dowell has totaled 143 points (49 Goals, 94 Assists) and ranks second behind Evan Brophey in IceHogs franchise history with 274 regular season games played. Dowell also ranks first in career playoff games for the IceHogs with 23 appearances and has played in 33 AHL playoff games total.

At the NHL level, Dowell has skated in 157 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild scoring 33 points (11 Goals, 22 Assists). In 2010-11, Dowell played his only full NHL season with the Chicago Blackhawks, appearing in 79 games, scoring 21 points (6 Goals, 15 Assists), and appearing in his only two Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Icehogs Re-Sign Captain Jake Dowell

Dowell Coming Off Best Season Of Career

Well Deserved Extension for Dowell

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