The Devils and Boston Bruins announced a trade Monday as New Jersey acquired forward Shane Bowers in exchange for defenseman Reilly Walsh.
The Bruins originally landed Bowers from the Avalanche in a Feb. 25 trade that saw goaltender Keith Kinkaid go to Colorado.
Bowers, 23, totaled 14 points on four goals and 10 assists in 37 games with the Colorado Eagles — the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate — last season.
After the trade to the Bruins, Bowers logged 20 games with Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, and scored seven points on four goals and three assists.
Bowers’ NHL debut came Nov. 10 as a member of the Avalanche, who acquired him in a November 2017 trade with the Ottawa Senators.
Ottawa selected Bowers — from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada — with the 2017 NHL Draft’s No. 28 overall pick.
Walsh was a third-round draft pick by New Jersey in 2017 (No. 81 overall). He appeared in one game for the Devils last season and tallied one assist in just over 14 minutes of ice time in his NHL debut.
The defenseman tallied 41 points (nine goals, 32 assists) and was a minus-6 in 71 games for the Devils’ AHL affiliate the Utica Comets in 2022-23 after tallying 43 points (nine goals, 34 assists) and a plus-12 in 70 games for Utica in 2021-22.
