New Jersey Devils acquire Shane Bowers from Boston Bruins for Reilly Walsh

The New Jersey Devils have acquired forward Shane Bowers from the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Reilly Walsh.

As the NHL trade market heats up with the Bruins recently dealing Taylor Hall to the Chicago Blackhawks, they keep busy with a minor trade. Both Bowers and Walsh were drafted in 2017. They both have played exactly one NHL game with their respective teams.

These two players are at very similar stages in their career and will both be 24 years old at the start of the 2023-24 season. Walsh has had three very strong AHL seasons, finishing with nine goals and 41 points in 71 games during the 2022-23 season. Included in that is a four-goal performance in this past seasons’ six playoff games.

On most NHL teams Walsh would have gotten an extended look in the NHL but he was stuck behind Jonas Siegenthaler, Luke Hughes, Kevin Bahl, and Brendan Smith on the left side of defense. Right now, the Bruins have Hampus Lindholm, Matt Grzelcyk, Derek Forbort, and Mike Reilly on the left side. However, Grzelcyk, Forbort, and Reilly all have a chance of being traded away as salary cap casualties.

There could be an opportunity for Walsh to sneak in on the third pair if he starts the year strong in the AHL.

Bowers is a former first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators and was sent to the Colorado Avalanche as part of the deal for Matt Duchene. Over the last five seasons, Bowers has struggled to find his place in the AHL. At this past season’s NHL trade deadline he was sent to Boston in exchange for Keith Kinkaid. He scored four goals and seven points in 20 games for the Providence Bruins. He will most likely start next season playing for the Utica Comets in the Devils organisation.