By Patrick Knight

Email –

pat@k102.comI Twitter - @patknightk102

According to Bob Gallaher, who works for WEAU in Eau Claire, WI, the Minnesota Wild have signed former Wisconsin Badger center Jake Dowell to a two-year deal this evening. Dowell has played in 154 NHL games over five seasons, four with the Chicago Blackhawks and last season with the Dallas Stars. In those games, Dowell has amassed 33 career points.

You may be wondering why this is a big deal? According to Chuck Schwartz (@UWChuckSchwartz on Twitter), Dowell and Ryan Suter are very good friends. Schwartz would know as he covers Badger hockey for  buckys5thquarter.com  He states that the two started playing together while in Ann Arbor at the National Training and Developmental Program – and also while in Madison.

Below are a series of tweets from Schwartz tonight:

"Former Badger Jake Dowell has signed a 2 year deal with the Minnesota Wild per @WEAUGallaher. He is very good friends with Suter"

"Dowell and Suter played together at the NTDP, and Wisco. They also share the same agent, Neil Sheehy. Very good 2-way center. Good signing."

"What a move by the Wild. Dowell is solid and worthy of a contract, but signing one of Suter’s best buddies is a very, very smart move."

"For whatever its worth, Dowell, Suter and Parise played on the same USA world junior team that won a gold medal."

What does this all mean? Nothing yet. However, after the Wild picked up Sheehy today and flew to Madison to meet with Suter, one has to wonder if this was a "suggested" move. The Wild are pulling out all the possible stops to get Suter and Parise signed. We should see how this all ends up within the next few days. Perhaps now the Wild will sign Suter to entice Parise.