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