Bruins acquire Framingham native Reilly Walsh in deal with Devils
Walsh has been one of the more productive defensemen in the AHL over the last few seasons.
Less than an hour after dealing Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to the Blackhawks, the Bruins reeled off an AHL transaction that brings an intriguing blueliner (and Massachusetts native) into the organization.
Boston announced Monday afternoon that it traded Providence Bruins forward Shane Bowers to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Reilly Walsh.
Walsh, 24, originally hails from Framingham and spent his collegiate career at Harvard.
The Devils’ 2017 third-round pick has only logged one game at the NHL ranks, but has been one of the more productive blueliners in the AHL over the last few seasons. He is a pending restricted free agent.
In his 141 games with the Utica Comets, Walsh has scored 18 goals and posted 84 points.
Bowers, 23, was acquired by the Bruins in February in a deal with the Avalanche in exchange for veteran goalie Keith Kinkaid. The former BU product posted seven points in 20 games with the Providence this season.
Walsh stands as the third right-shot defenseman that Boston added on Monday.
Along with moving Hall’s $6 million cap hit off their books in their deal with Chicago, the Bruins also added a pair of RFA blueliners in Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula.
It remains to be seen if any of Walsh, Mitchell, or Regula can take a leap and log viable minutes in the NHL ranks moving forward.
But the trio does bolster a sparse area of Boston’s prospect pool (right-shot D) and serve as some much-needed insurance if Connor Clifton does ink a deal with another team once free agency commences on Saturday.
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