The San Jose Sharks have acquired forward Shane Bowers from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Thomas Bordeleau.
Bowers, 25, has one year remaining on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $775,000. He is going to be a good depth addition for Mike Grier and the Sharks. He was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out as well as he would have hoped.
He has been passed around throughout his career while looking for a place where he can get into the lineup and play every day. In his three-year career, he has only played in 13 NHL games and is yet to register a point. However, at the AHL level, he has been able to score 15–20 points per season.
If he can make the team out of camp, there is a good chance he will be a depth forward that plays on their third or fourth line.
Going the other way in this trade is Bordeleau. The 23-year-old restricted free agent is still in need of a contract. He is coming off a one-year deal with an average annual value of $873,125. He was a second-round draft pick of the Sharks back in 2020, and much like Bowers, things haven’t clicked. In his four years with the organization, he has only played in 44 NHL games and scored six goals and 12 assists for 18 points. At the AHL level, he has done very well — this past season, he had 38 points in 59 games. He is also looking for a fresh start with his new team.
