SUMMER SPOTLIGHT: SHANE BOWERS
By Jason Shaya
Jun 26, 2024Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, the Halifax native, Shane Bowers was dealt to Colorado before he had a chance to play a single game for the Senators. Going from Boston University to the Colorado Eagles in the AHL, Shane spent parts of five seasons with the Eagles before he made his debut with the Avs. An unfortunate injury in that game resulted in his first NHL game being memorable for the wrong reasons.
After joining the New Jersey Devils organization this last summer in a trade for defenseman Reilly Walsh, Bowers skated in 43 games for the Comets during the 2023-24 campaign scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points. During the season, the Devils had him in the lineup for eight games in the NHL. With the first season completed with the Devils, Bowers returns on a multi-year deal and heads into the summer with the hopes of improving his game riding a wave of momentum from the past season.
Reflect on last year— how do you feel it went overall in your first season with the Devils and Comets? You ended the season on a very strong run including an incredible four-point game against Springfield in late March.
Bowers: Overall, I thought my first season with the Devils organization was a positive one. It was my first experience playing in the Eastern Conference of the AHL and Utica is a great place to play with a great fan base and staff. I really enjoyed being there every night, I'm excited for next year to keep building off that first season and being back there for the next two years.
Playing in the NHL isn’t a new experience for you but doing it for the Devils was a different venture from the Colorado Avalanche. Can you tell us how you think that went for you and if you remember your game on the road against Tampa Bay to make your Devils debut?
Bowers: Unfortunately, it was a short run with Colorado due to injury, but I was able to get my first NHL game in with the Avalance. My first game for the Devils was great and like a second NHL debut in a sense, it was really exciting just to make it through a full game and play at that level. I was able to have some family down there in Florida to see the game so that’s always nice to play in front of them. Being able to play a few more games this year for New Jersey than I did with Colorado… it just helps build confidence playing at that level.
How is the summer going for you so far? Can you take us through what training you do during the summer heading into training camp?
Bowers: My summer's been going great so far, I just got back on the ice here and I'm starting to ease into it and slowly starting to ramp things up. I’m training five times a week in the gym and a couple days on the field. It's kind of cliché but I'm working on all the things hockey players need to do (mostly strength and speed training) and I’m just trying to be prepared for next season.
I assume you don’t spend every second working out, so I am sure you need to unwind. What do you have planned this summer for taking a break and time away from the gym and rink. Do you spend your summers in Halifax?
Bowers: I'm spending my summers in Halifax, it's a beautiful place. A lot of pro guys are here so the skates are good and away from training I've been golfing a lot and hanging with my friends. Nova Scotia is a great place to be in the summer. It's right on the ocean so I try to get on the beach and get on the water as much as possible and enjoy the nice weather when we have it.
It’s been a long summer so far. When do you start itching for the season to start? Does the summer get boring after a while and what are you looking forward to this upcoming season?
Bowers: I think after a little bit you enjoy this summer and then it kind of gets long especially for us this year and not making playoffs which was tough— it kind of makes the summers a lot longer. So, I think after the first month you start looking forward to getting back and into the routine of things into the season more.