Prospect of Interest: The 411 on Shane Bowers

Shane Bowers. (Photo by Stephanie Lyn Photography)

Sportsnet Staff June 23, 2017, 4:17 PM

The most interesting part of assessing young players is that on many occasions, we just don’t know what they’re going to become.

Sure, there are the Connor McDavids and Auston Matthews’ of the world, but they’re the minority.

Draft-eligible prospect Shane Bowers is a prime example of a player who’s hard to gauge. Some scouts are bullish on him, while others question his abilities.

Here’s a closer look at Bowers.

Age on June 23: 17
From: Halifax
Current Team: Waterloo Blackhawks, USHL
Position: Centre
Shoots: Left
Height: Six-foot
Weight: 170 pounds
NHL Central Scouting Rank (North America): 16

Jeff Marek’s Take:

“A good, two-way player who doesn’t ‘wow’ you with any one skill, but finds good position at both ends of the ice.”

Potential?

Bowers has a reputation as a strong skater and defensive asset, but there are questions about his offensive potential — he posted 84 points in 116 games over the past two seasons in the United States Hockey League.

According to ESPN, scouts seem to be split on his ceiling:

[blockquote]“Some scouts I talk to swear by him as a potential frontline NHL player; other scouts, including me, question whether he’ll be able to score much as an NHLer. That isn’t to say Bowers can’t make high-level offensive plays. He has good hands and vision and was more consistent in that regard in the second half of the season.”

[cite] Corey Pronman, ESPN [/cite] [/blockquote]

Could been in Cape Breton

Bowers was selected by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles with the No. 4 pick in the QMJHL draft.

Shane Bowers at the QMJHL draft in 2015. (Perry Beaton/CP)

As reported by The Hockey News, a representative working for Bowers told the Screaming Eagles that the 15-year-old wanted to to keep his NCAA options open and might not report to a team in the Q. The team gambled by picking him, but Bowers refused to report to Cape Breton. He ended up with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL.

Nova Scotia native son

Bowers is a proud native of Nova Scotia and judging by his social media, he’s always willing to represent. There are several tweets and retweets about fellow Nova Scotian players, including Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand, as well as this Instagram post of Bowers standing next to Nathan MacKinnon.