Bowers Bound for San Jose
July 2, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release
Waterloo, Iowa - Former Waterloo Black Hawks forward Shane Bowers has been traded to the San Jose Sharks in a deal announced Wednesday.
Bowers played in Waterloo during the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons and became one of the earliest NHL Draft selections in Hawks history. He turned professional in 2019 and made his NHL debut in 2022. As part of Wednesday's trade, the New Jersey Devils received forward Thomas Bordeleau.
In the fall of 2015, Bowers was the youngest member of the Black Hawks. Regardless, the Halifax, Nova Scotia, native scored goals in each of his first two United States Hockey League games. He recorded a pair of game-winning goals during his rookie season, finishing with 15 total scores and 18 assists in 56 regular season games. Bowers was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team that spring.
Closely watched during the following season leading up to the 2017 Draft, Bowers delivered. He recorded 22 goals and 29 assists in 60 appearances, tying for Waterloo's scoring lead with 51 points. Bowers had a +14 plus/minus differential and did most of his best work at even-strength. Only five of the 37 goals he notched in two seasons as a Black Hawk came in power play situations. The Ottawa Senators drafted Bowers 28th overall, making him one of four first round selections in Waterloo history.
Bowers spent two successful seasons at Boston University. He appeared in 77 NCAA games, scoring 28 collegiate goals amid his 53 total points for the Terriers. In that time, he also represented Canada during the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championships. Meanwhile, his NHL rights were traded from Ottawa to the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he signed at the end of his sophomore season.
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted Bowers first full professional season in 2019/20 with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League and also shortened his second season. Bowers eventually made his NHL debut with the Avalanche in November of 2022. However, misfortune struck when Bowers was injured during the first period of that initial game. After recovering and returning to action in the AHL later in the year, Bowers was traded to the Boston Bruins.
He signed with the Devils in 2023, playing in a dozen NHL games across the two seasons. Bowers spent most of that time skating for the Utica Comets of the AHL, making 108 appearances with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists).
Joe Pavelski is the Waterloo player most readily associated with Bowers' new team. Pavelski served as captain for both the Black Hawks and Sharks after San Jose drafted him in 2003, between his first and second seasons in the USHL. Eriah Hayes was a Black Hawk who later signed as a free agent and played parts of the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons with San Jose. Jacob MacDonald also spent two seasons with the Sharks, seeing action in 34 2023/24 games and scoring a career-high seven goals. MacDonald and Bowers were teammates in Colorado.
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