The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team has re-signed forward Shane Bowers to a two-year contract. The details of the contract are as follows: 2024-25: $775,000 at the NHL level and $200,000 at the American Hockey League (AHL) level; 2025-26: $775,000 NHL/$225,000 AHL ($250,000 guaranteed). The announcement was made by President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Devils’ Assistant General Manager/Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon.
Bowers, 24, joined New Jersey’s AHL affiliate in Utica this season and registered eight points (6g-2a) in 36 regular-season games. The 6’2”, 180lbs. forward was acquired via trade on June 26, 2023, from Boston in exchange for defenseman Reilly Walsh. The Devils recalled Bowers from Utica on Jan. 9, 2024, and he logged his New Jersey debut on Jan. 11, at Tampa Bay.
Bowers’ two shorthanded goals rank third on Utica this season, while his 70 shots on goal rank. The left-handed shot played in 37 games for Colorado’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, in 2022-23 and totaled 14 points (4g-10a). He was traded to Boston on February 25, 2023, and played in 20 AHL regular season contests for Providence.
Overall, Bowers has recorded 74 career points (37g-37a) in 210 contests split with Colorado, Providence and Utica at the AHL level. He made his NHL debut on Nov. 10, 2022, with Colorado.
Born on July 30, 1999, the native of Halifax, N.S., was selected by Ottawa in the first round, 28th overall, in the 2017 NHL Draft. Bowers played in the NCAA for Boston University from 2017-18 to 2018-19 and finished in the top five of scoring on the Terriers both seasons. He totaled 53 career points (28g-25a) in 77 contests at Boston and helped the Terriers win a Hockey East title in 2018. Bowers was also named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2017-18. From 2015-16 to 2016-17, he played in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for Waterloo and was tied for first on the team with 51 points in 2016-17 (22g-29a).
Bowers represented Canada on the international stage at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) 2019 World Junior Championship where he tallied two assists in five games played.
