the lockout, on August 5, 2005, he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. On March 9, 2006, Dowd was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in 2006. His brief tenure with the Avalanche ended after the 2005–06 season, with Dowd again becoming a free agent. On November 2, 2006, after New Jersey Devils left winger Dan LaCouture cleared waivers, the Devils signed Dowd to a one-year contract. The contract paid Dowd the NHL minimum of $450,000. When Dowd returned to the Devils, he was forced to wear jersey #12, as John Madden wore his old #11. Dowd went on to score four goals as well as have his first career multi-goal game, against the Florida Panthers. After the season ended with a loss to the Ottawa Senators in the second round of the playoffs, questions arose about the futures of Devils veterans such as Dowd, who was scratched several times in favor of Rod Pelley. On September 11, Dowd announced that general manager Lou Lamoriello and the Devils were uninterested in offering him a contract and instead attended the Philadelphia Flyers' training camp on a try-out contract. He made the team and became a solid penalty killer and defensive center for the Flyers during the , scoring his first goal with the Flyers against the Devils. Dowd was invited to the Flyers' training camp on a tryout basis again in 2008, he was released after the last game of the Flyers' 2008–09 pre-season, along with Bryan Berard, to allow rookie development, notably of Danny Syvret and Darroll Powe. On April 7, 2009, Dowd announced his retirement as a player. Off the ice Jim Dowd's Shoot for the Stars Foundation holds an Annual Shore High School All-Star Hockey Game. The All-Star Games and other events hosted by Shoot for the Stars raise money for local families in need due to illnesses. He also coaches ice hockey for the Red Bank Generals, a travel organization in his home state of New Jersey. After his retirement from the NHL in 2009, Dowd was inducted into the NJSIAA Hall of Fame. The following year, he was inducted into the Lake Superior State Hall of Fame. In September 2011, Dowd appeared at Mother Teresa Regional School in Atlantic Highlands as part of a fundraiser benefiting the American Red Cross. He spoke to students and players from the school, as well