Justin Dowling Returns to Texas Stars on Conditioning Loan

(Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

The Texas Stars are getting a big post-trade deadline present from the Dallas Stars in the form of former captain Justin Dowling. The long-time Texas center has spent the entire season in Dallas but hasn't played since January 29 and has been on the injured list recently.

Dowling is coming down on a conditioning assignment and could be here as long as two weeks, depending on what happens in Dallas. It is the most ideal spot in the schedule for a conditioning assignment as far as the Stars ability to make use of Dowling. In the next fourteen days, which is the upper limit of an assignment, Texas plays seven games, all at home.

The Alberta native can help juice the power play, tighten up the penalty kill and provide key veteran presence. He will be available for tomorrow's game against Rockford and wearing #15.

Here's the release:

Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has has loaned forward Justin Dowling to the Texas Stars, Dallas' top development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL), on a conditioning assignment.

Dowling, 29, has registered six points (3-3=6) and eight penalty minutes in 27 games with Dallas in 2019-20. The forward has also recorded 25 hits and 12 blocked shots this season. Dowling has earned nine points (3-6=9) in 47 career regular-season games over parts of three seasons with the Stars.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound native of Calgary, Alta. was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Dallas on March 26, 2014.