Jim Dowd was a highly productive college hockey player for Lake Superior State University from 1987 to 1991. He finished his collegiate career as the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer with 274 points. Dowd’s exceptional play was recognized with multiple honors, including being named to the NCAA West First All-American and CCHA First All-Star teams in 1991. In his senior season, he was named the CCHA Player of the Year and finished top 10 in the Hobey Baker Award voting, given to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s hockey.

Following his college career, Dowd was drafted by the New Jersey Devils and went on to play 17 seasons in the NHL for ten different teams, including the Devils, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, and Minnesota Wild. He is perhaps most famous for scoring the game-winning goal for the Devils in Game 2 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals, helping them win their first championship. Dowd became the first New Jersey native to both play for and win the Stanley Cup with the Devils. He finished his professional career with 728 NHL games played, accumulating 239 points.