As training camp and preseason continue to bring excitement about the Sharks young depth, Thomas Bordeleau, who has been sidelined with an injury, may once again be on the outside looking in. Yet, he still remains an enticing player – and rightfully so. In his prolonged stint with the Sharks following the 2024 trade deadline, he showed he can skate amongst NHLers in a routine role and now looks to cement his spot in the Sharks lineup this season.
While any injury is untimely, this one might feel especially poorly timed for the 2020 2nd round draft pick. Bordeleau could have used this time in training camp and preseason to show new Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky that he belongs on the opening night roster. But while that seems unlikely at this point, as he is yet to resume skating with the team at the time of this writing, he will have his chance when he’s ready.
This year, playing on a one-year contract signed this summer, Bordeleau has the chance to break through as a full-time NHL player, although the pressure has only increased since the end of the 2023-24 year. San Jose now boasts several young and talented forwards but also brings in capable NHL bottom-six skaters, all of who make the margin of error for Bordeleau that much more narrow.
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 175 lbs.
Age: 22
Date of Birth: January 3, 2002
Draft Year: 2020 (38th overall by the San Jose Sharks)
Shoots: Left
2024-25 Team: San Jose Sharks
Bordeleau essentially had three sections to his season in 2023-24. He started with the big club, still under David Quinn’s helm, and played in six October games before being assigned to the San Jose Barracuda. In those six games, Bordeleau scored one goal and managed one assist, along with seeing his ice time gradually diminish. The Sharks also lost all of those games and scored more than one goal in only one of those games.
In the AHL, Bordeleau put up impressive numbers, scoring 25 points in 35 games. He proved that he is perfectly effective and capable at the AHL level. Once General Manager Mike Grier parted ways with players like Tomas Hertl and Anthony Duclair at the trade deadline, Bordeleau was called up to finish off the year at the NHL level. It was his most prolonged period at the NHL level, and he showed his potential, albeit inconsistently. In 21 games, Bordeleau scored five goals and four assists.
What we like
Bordeleau’s creativity with the puck and pace at which he plays the game have always been his garnering strengths, and his pathway to the NHL has depended on his ability to translate this from the NCAA game to the pro game. He showed these strengths at the NHL level during his second stint through March and April, where he put up four goals and two assists on the powerplay through that period. His deceptive passing and positioning often helped him take advantage of the extra space around the boards and front of the net. He also showed a talent for winning face-offs, which could be particularly useful for a powerplay center.
One other trait, though, is that he has been able to correct mistakes. Bordeleau looked much better in his springtime stint at the NHL than the October debut. Evidently, he took the feedback from Quinn and his staff, went to the Barracuda, and worked hard to round out his game more. Being coachable is important for a young player and will be a useful asset under a new coaching staff that will seek to remold the team’s overall play.
Areas of Improvement
Bordeleau will have to solidify the fundamental aspects of a responsible professional game. Limiting turnovers, especially in the neutral zone, will go a long way in earning Warsofsky’s trust. He’ll also just have to be more consistently prolific in producing goals and scoring opportunities for his linemates.
Last season, in both the NHL and AHL, Bordeleau could have a game with two goals and an assist, followed by several games without a contribution. To make up for that slight variation, Bordeleau’s defensive game will simply have to be more reliable to maintain a spot in the lineup, especially if he’s at center.
What’s next for Bordeleau?
The 2024-25 season has the clashing makings of both a fresh start and a put-up or shut-up season for Bordeleau. He has a new head coach at the NHL level, yes, but Warsofsky remains a familiar face, having been an assistant coach since 2022.
Warsofvsky and Grier know what Bordeleau can provide and will give him the opportunity to show it at one point or another. Barring significant injuries throughout the lineup, however, he will still have to battle his way back up the penciled depth chart once he returns to full form, hopefully sooner than later.
He has the skill to be a top-six forward, and his game is likely better suited to be paired with other players of a similar skill set. Someone like Tyler Toffoli or a more consistent Klim Kostin might be interesting wing pairings for Bordeleau, who’s able to see the play a few steps ahead and can transition the game from neutral to dynamic in a snap.
Highlight
In just the second game of the 2023-24 regular season, Bordeleau scored his first NHL goal. This was the only goal the team managed in a tightly contested game against the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche, thanks to Mackenzie Blackwood’s heroics.
Here, Bordeleau scored one of several goals from right in front of the net. Despite his stature, Bordeleau has shown an ability to perform well around the crease, often by sneaking around the net to find an abandoned opening. Hopefully, he’ll be bringing the SAP Center fans to their feet many more times this year.
Top 25 Under 25 so far
10. Henry Thrun
11. Kasper Halttunen
12. Igor Chernyshov
13. Luca Cagnoni
14. Danil Gushchin
15. Leo Sahlin Wallenius
16. Collin Graf
17. Jack Thompson
18. Ethan Cardwell
19. Cameron Lund
20. Eric Pohlkamp
21. Ty Dellandrea
22. Mattias Havelid
23. Jake Furlong
24. Georgi Romanov
25. Tristen Robins
Honorable Mention: Brandon Svoboda, Gannon Laroque, Brandon Coe, Carson Wetsch and Valtteri Pulli