As Nic Dowd takes the ice for Game 1 of what will be his first career Stanley Cup Final appearance, he's balancing a handful of emotions, while also carrying his roots and family legacy close.
Dowd, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights at the deadline, is the first-ever player from Alabama to skate in a Stanley Cup Final.
It's a full-circle moment for the 36-year-old, who had won just one playoff series in the previous eight seasons he spent with the Washington Capitals .
"I've just been really lucky from when I started playing hockey as a kid," Dowd told reporters on media day, adding, "I played for really good people. Not just coaches, I played for good people, and they helped me be successful. And it's not that I didn't put the work in, but I was a young, punk kid for the majority of my career, and I had to learn how to become the player that I am today to stay in the NHL."
The Huntsville native grew up playing knee hockey and practicing out in the backyard on a concrete slab, while his parents also shuttled him to and from tournaments as he followed in his brothers' footsteps.
"It's pretty, pretty special. I owe a lot to Huntsville," Dowd said.
He eventually went on to play at Culver Military Academy, and then rose through the NAHL and USHL ranks before committing to St. Cloud State University and being selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Looking back, Dowd credits his mother and father, who worked as a nurse and doctor and came to Alabama from England, for his growth and getting him to this point.
"People get washed out all the time. So I owe a lot to the people that I grew up with, the coaches, my parents, my dad, my mom and their work ethic," Dowd said, adding, "For my dad, mom to both have high-level careers and continue to raise kids, like, I definitely don't discount the fact that watching them, I learned subconsciously what it took to become an NHL player. My dad a doctor, my mom was a nurse, and they raised three boys, and I fully believe as I've gotten older, that they kind of paved the way, even though they didn't necessarily sit me down and tell me about these things.
"Actions are going to speak a lot louder than words, and I just believe that watching my mom and my dad and then having successful people coach me throughout my career is what's got me here."
Dowd has also been playing with a heavy heart entering the twilight of what's been one of the more difficult years of his career. He lost his father in September and experienced highs and lows before being traded from his longtime home in March.
For Dowd, he hasn't had too much time to process it yet, but plans to sit back and reflect when he gets the chance. For now, though, he plays with his father in mind, and dedicates each victory to him.
"I think about him a lot, for sure, every day," Dowd said. "It's been a tough year, obviously losing my dad late September and then having to jump right back into hockey. I think it's still been challenging for me to process all that, and there will be a time when I do get to do that. But, yeah, I think about my dad every day, and, quite honestly, I feel like I've felt him with me throughout this whole playoff run."
As the Cup Final kicks off Monday in Raleigh, Dowd is staying even-keeled and composed, focused on the task at hand. However, he still recognizes how difficult it was to get to this point, and isn't taking a moment for granted.
"I consider myself extremely lucky to be sitting here today," Dowd said. "I don't take the fact that I worked incredibly hard to get here. A lot of people work hard and you just don't have success. I truthfully believe, if you surround yourself with successful people, people that want you to be successful, you're going to succeed."
