Confirmed with Link: Devils trade Reilly Walsh to Boston for Shane Bowers

[Oneiro]

Surprised it took this long. Felt like the organization was over him before ‘20, let alone three years later.

 

[JrFischer54]

lol i remember when walsh was such a highly guarded prospect here. remember when the board melted down over losing davies or rykov.

 

[Forge]

Not entirely sure what Boston is doing over there.

Move out Hall for two NHL/AHL defenders and then add another in Walsh.

Was hoping Walsh brought back someone closer to potentially having an NHL impact like him. Bowers seems like he hasn’t developed too well so far. More of a move to get Utica another center it seems.

They had to move Hall. Their cap is in a dire situation this year.

I agree that this seems like a move that was based on the concept of simply rounding out Utica

 

[MasterofGrond]

Walsh could be a third pairing dman if this were 2007

i'm not sure he's a bottom pairing guy in 2023, the league dynamics are just different now

 

[Better Call Sal]

lol i remember when walsh was such a highly guarded prospect here. remember when the board melted down over losing davies or rykov.

It shouldn't come to much of a shock on a hockey prospect board that fans become attached to the prospects their favorite team drafts and then follows their development.

I don't recall anyone melting down over Davies. Rykov was a funny one though simply because it was the Rangers. What's his deal? Is he never coming over to NA now I assume?

 

[Darkauron]

Honest question: Does this trade do more to help Uticas center depth or hurt their defensive depth?

Walsh is a defensive mess. Anyone would be better than him at D pretty much.

 

[forceten]

This is sort of meh but it kind of smarts to not get any sort of asset for him. He has potential as an offensive defenseman, perhaps. Even a 4th rounder would've been nice.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

... in a move that stunned tens of fans

 

[Better Call Sal]

I said it in the team thread not realizing this got its own thread lol, but the writing was on the wall even before last season's acquisitions when Fitzgerald emphasized that he wanted guys on defense who had length, could skate and move the puck but also not lose sight of their fundamentals and primary responsibility on the backend. This is very much what lead to them moving on from Ty Smith as quickly as they did.

You knew Walsh didn't stand a chance with that type of mandate. Once Marino was brought in and Nemec was drafted solidifying the right side for years to come, he was destined to get moved sooner than later.

All the best to him, hope he carves out a role somehow.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

This also saves ~100k if either is taken to arbitration and needed to be called up

 

[My3Sons]

We've had this talk. Do better.

 

[Billdo]

Underwhelming return but whatever

 

[Xirik]

We've had this talk. Do better.

Will do Papa Kratos

 

[AfroThunder396]

AHL forward depth in exchange for AHL defense depth. Cool.

 

[Bleedred]

Walsh has been pro for 3 years now and has played in just 1 NHL game (he does have a goal in his only NHL game) and got maybe one or two other call ups where he didn't even get into a game.

Bahl and Okhotyuk were getting way more call ups than he was. He's about 3 months younger than Nico Hischier and from the same draft.

It's pretty clear the organization didn't think he had a future here, so I'm not sure why anything more than this was expected.

 

[tailfins]

Definitely feel good for Walsh. He’s going back to Boston / Providence area, so that should make him feel comfortable. He’s also going to a place where is salary will help him make the NHL.

Really, seems almost like a best case opportunity - save going to a tanking team. But, with the B’s, if he can stick a couple of years, he may carve out a career. Of course, most likely that he flops, but even then he’ll at least have had a real shot.

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[bigd]

Underwhelming return but whatever

What did you expect for an underwhelming player?

 

[SJinNewJersey]

It shouldn't come to much of a shock on a hockey prospect board that fans become attached to the prospects their favorite team drafts and then follows their development.

I don't recall anyone melting down over Davies. Rykov was a funny one though simply because it was the Rangers. What's his deal? Is he never coming over to NA now I assume?

I thought he played for Hartford for a season and went back to Russia.

 

[Rhodes 81]

This is sort of meh but it kind of smarts to not get any sort of asset for him. He has potential as an offensive defenseman, perhaps. Even a 4th rounder would've been nice.

Think of it this way, if we traded a 4th for a prospect like Walsh that has played 1 NHL game and is already 24, would you be excited or think we wasted a pick on AHL depth?

I get he had potential, but sometimes these B- tier prospects just never develop and that's ok. You can't hit on everyone.

 

[RyGuy]

It's happening!!

This is the catalyst that dynasties are born from.

 

[The Wumpus]

Honest question: Does this trade do more to help Uticas center depth or hurt their defensive depth?

Vilen and Misyul inbound, so our D depth down there is fine, although very LD heavy.

 

[Billdo]

What did you expect for an underwhelming player?

Nothing. I would've rather had a pick tbh, but I didn't expect anything. Dude can't play defense so it is what it is.

 

[Triumph]

Walsh could be a third pairing dman if this were 2007

i'm not sure he's a bottom pairing guy in 2023, the league dynamics are just different now

Teams don't really use 3 or 4 D on the power play anymore. Honestly I think the league dynamics have shifted enough since Walsh was drafted that I'm not sure he's a 3rd round pick in 2023.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

If we wanted a pick it was probably a 7th round pick. Walsh is a 24 year who is not seen as having an NHL future. Basically an AHL depth swap.