The New Jersey Devils have signed Thomas Bordeleau to a one-year, two-way contract valued at $775,000. Bordeleau, acquired in a trade for Shane Bowers, is a young depth forward who played the majority of last season with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL.
Last season, Bordeleau hit career highs in the AHL, scoring 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 59 games. He was sixth on the Barracuda in scoring in 2024-25. In 161 career AHL games, Bordeleau has totaled 47 goals and 60 assists for 107 points. He made his 2024-25 NHL debut on April against the Calgary Flames, ending his night with 10:38 in ice time.
Bordeleau, selected 38th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, is a left-handed shot with 18 goals in 44 career games. He played on the US National Development Program with Devils defenseman Luke Hughes during the 2020-21 season. Should he make the roster, he’ll rejoin his teammate in Newark for the 2o25-26 season.
What Bordeleau Brings to the Devils
Bordeleau is a depth signing, but one with potential. At just 23 years of age, he has yet to hit his NHL prime. Should he make the roster, he’ll add another depth threat to the Devils, who are set to take a big step next season. If not, he’ll be an emergency call-up should injuries inevitably arrive.
This is a low-risk, potentially high-reward signing for the Devils. With a fresh start, Bordeleau has a chance to show his stuff in a new setting. His time in San Jose, while short, wasn’t full of a lot of opportunity for the forward. This role gives him a chance to breathe and settle in at a consistent level.
During his postseason press conference, Fitzgerald touched on New Jersey’s struggles with depth. “Oh, I think players underachieved, for sure,” he said. “I think players who have scored enough goals in this league to give assurance that we have depth scoring, didn’t. I said it just moments ago, scoring goals is extremely tough to do in this league. Sometimes I bang my head against the wall every day, wondering, really, what is depth scoring?”
Should Bordeleau pan out, he may very well be the answer to Fitzgerald’s depth scoring question.
Bordeleau Signing Clears Way for Last RFA
Signing Bordeleau leaves just one name on general manager Tom Fitzgerald’s list: Luke Hughes. The 21-year-old defenseman, per Fitzgerald’s press conference in early July, a “no. 1 priority“.
“I talked to his agent (Tuesday). We said, ‘Let’s enjoy the holiday weekend and we’ll start talking after. He’s excited. He wants to be a Devil long term—just like his brother (Jack). We’re excited about that. Players want to stay here. They want to be in New Jersey. [The players] want to be part of something we’re creating. The standards are getting higher with each year, which is exciting. I don’t sense anything other than Luke wants to be a Devil for a long time.”
“There are a lot of unknowns, but a lot of excitement that comes with that,” Fitzgerald concluded.
Devils Sign Former San Jose Shark