Thomas Bordeleau Explained

Thomas Bordeleau
Birth Date:3 January 2002
Birth Place:Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:175
Position:Center
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:San Jose Sharks
Prospect Team:San Jose Barracuda-->
Ntl Team:USA
Draft:38th overall
Draft Year:2020
Draft Team:San Jose Sharks
Career Start:2022

Thomas Bordeleau (born January 3, 2002) is an American-Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 38th overall by the Sharks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. His father is former NHL player Sébastien Bordeleau.

Early life

Bordeleau was born in Houston, Texas, to hockey player Sébastien Bordeleau and gynecologist Chantal Dubois while his dad played for the Houston Aeros. He then lived in Switzerland for ten years before moving to Terrebonne, Quebec after his dad retired in 2012.[1] [2]

Playing career

Junior

During the 2018–19 season, Bordeleau led the team in scoring, recording 16 goals and 23 assists in 56 games for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Collegiate

Bordeleau began his collegiate career for the Michigan Wolverines during the 2020–21 season. During his freshman season he led the nation in freshman scoring, and led the team in scoring with eight goals and 22 assists in 24 games. He recorded three game-winning goals and was a +18, the sixth-best on-ice rating in the Big Ten. He led the league in faceoff win percentage (.580), winning 211 draws. Following an outstanding season, he was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, the All-Big Ten Second Team and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.[3] He was also awarded the Tim Taylor Award.[4]

During the 2021–22 season, in his sophomore year, he finished tied for fourth in points (37), fifth in goals (12) and third in assists (25).[5]

Professional

On April 12, 2022, Bordeleau signed an amateur tryout contract with the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.[6] He made his professional debut for the Barracuda the next day and recorded three assists in his first career AHL game.[7] On April 16, 2022, he signed a three-year, entry-level contact with the San Jose Sharks.[8] The next day, he made his NHL debut in a 4–5 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild, while also getting his first point by assisting a goal.[9] He scored his first NHL goal on October 14, 2023, in a 1–2 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche.[10] He re-signed with the Sharks on July 26, 2024.[11]

International play

Bordeleau was scheduled to represent the United States at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, however, he was cut from the roster due to COVID-19 protocols.[12]

On May 5, 2022, Bordeleau was named to the United States men's national ice hockey team to compete at the 2022 IIHF World Championship.[13] He recorded two goals in eight games.[14]

Personal life

Bordeleau is the son of former professional ice hockey player Sébastien Bordeleau, and the grandson of Paulin Bordeleau.[15] He holds American, Canadian, and French citizenship, and his first language is French.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2018–19U.S. National Development TeamUSHL5616233946
2019–20U.S. National Development TeamUSHL4716304616
2020–21University of MichiganB1G248223012
2021–22University of MichiganB1G3712253735
2021–22San Jose BarracudaAHL20330
2021–22San Jose SharksNHL80550
2022–23San Jose BarracudaAHL6522194124
2022–23San Jose SharksNHL80220
2023–24San Jose SharksNHL27651118
2023–24San Jose BarracudaAHL3511142526
NHL totals436121818

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2018United StatesWHC178th5 0 4 4 2
2022United StatesWC4th8 2 0 2 2
2022United StatesWJC5th5 1 7 8 2
Junior totals 10 1 11 12 4
Senior totals 8 2 0 2 2

Awards and honors

AwardYearRef
College
Big Ten Freshman of the Year2021[16]
All-Big Ten Freshman Team2021
All-Big Ten Second Team2021
Tim Taylor Award2021[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bordeleau deals with uncertainty . IIHF.com . . Derek . O'Brien . April 20, 2020 . April 9, 2021.
  2. Web site: Wheeler . Scott . How Thomas Bordeleau's globetrotting hockey upbringing prepared him for the NHL . August 13, 2022 . The Athletic . en.
  3. Web site: Bordeleau, York Named B1G Rookie, Defenseman of Year to Lead U-M Honorees . Kristy . McNeil . MGoBlue.com . CBS Interactive. March 16, 2021 . April 10, 2021.
  4. Web site: Bordeleau Selected for Tim Taylor Award as National Rookie of the Year . MGoBlue.com . . Kristy . McNeil . April 9, 2021 . April 9, 2021.
  5. Web site: Barracuda sign Thomas Bordeleau to ATO . . April 12, 2022 . April 12, 2022.
  6. Web site: Sharks prospect ends time at Michigan, joins San Jose Barracuda on ATO . . Curtis . Pashelka . April 12, 2022 . April 12, 2022.
  7. Web site: For slumping Sharks organization, Bordeleau's arrival comes at perfect time . . Curtis . Pashelka . April 14, 2022 . April 16, 2022.
  8. Web site: Sharks Sign Center Thomas Bordeleau . National Hockey League . April 16, 2022 . April 16, 2022.
  9. Web site: Wild defeat Sharks in OT, clinch playoff berth. National Hockey League. April 17, 2022. April 17, 2022.
  10. Web site: Sharks' Thomas Bordeleau: Pots first NHL goal. cbssports.com. October 14, 2023. October 14, 2023.
  11. Web site: Sharks re-sign forward Thomas Bordeleau. NHL.com. San Jose Sharks. July 26, 2024. July 27, 2024.
  12. Web site: Sharks' Thomas Bordeleau cut from Team USA roster due to COVID protocols . Yahoo! News . Ali . Thanawalla . December 14, 2020 . April 10, 2021.
  13. Web site: Four UM Wolverines named to Team USA roster for World Championship . MLive.com . Ryan . Zuke . May 5, 2022 . May 5, 2022.
  14. Web site: The kids are alright for Team USA . IIHF.com . Andy . Potts . May 23, 2022 . May 23, 2022.
  15. Web site: Thomas Bordeleau Takes Unusual Path to NTDP . usahockeyntdp.com . Becky . Olsen . February 8, 2019. April 10, 2021.
  16. Web site: Hockey Postseason Honors Announced . https://web.archive.org/web/20210316180922/https://bigten.org/news/2021/3/16/general-hockey-postseason-honors-announced.aspx . dead . March 16, 2021 . BigTen.org . March 16, 2021 . April 10, 2021.
  17. Web site: Seven Big Ten Standouts Claim National Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411000312/https://bigten.org/news/2021/4/9/general-seven-big-ten-standouts-claim-national-awards.aspx . dead . April 11, 2021 . BigTen.org . April 9, 2021 . April 10, 2021.