Peng: What I liked, didn’t like about Bordeleau’s brief showing originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
It’s been a mixed bag for Thomas Bordeleau since the Sharks recalled him at the end of March.
And that might be kind, considering Bordeleau is an offense-first prospect with just two assists through eight NHL games. But remember, Bordeleau is just 21, with only 16 NHL games over two seasons to his name. He still has plenty of time to learn from his struggles.
Let’s look at some of the top prospect’s troubles this season — and some of the good that I’m seeing.
Skating
Bordeleau (17) is a good skater, but he’s not that good. Here’s what I mean:
Bordeleau is trapped by Pierre Luc-Dubois (80) and Kyle Connor (81) along the wall.
“He’s a good skater, very agile,” an NHL scout from outside the Sharks organization told San Jose Hockey Now.
But he’s not agile enough to escape two forecheckers. The problem here though isn’t so much Bordeleau’s skating, it’s the decision to essentially take on two Jets by himself. He puts himself in a bad place.
He has Mario Ferraro (38) as a pass option but neglects him.
Now credit to Bordeleau – he’s able to kick the puck out of the zone. But that’s more fortunate than anything, this should have been a turnover.
Regardless, Bordeleau still can stand to refine his skating. His first-step explosiveness, in particular, appears flat-footed at times. If he can improve that first step, he could improve his ability to escape trouble.
Defense
Defense still is a work in progress for Bordeleau.
And that’s natural, those are the details that often are missing in many a young forward’s game. It was one of the main reasons why the Sharks didn’t call up the 2023 AHL All-Star earlier this season.
But in the midst of a late-season scoring slump – Bordeleau didn’t have a goal for the San Jose Barracuda from Mar. 3 to Mar. 22, 10 games – head coach John McCarthy heaped praise on the prospect’s overall game and compete.
“I personally feel like he’s closer to the NHL based off his last stretch than he was earlier in the year. I know that sounds crazy. The numbers aren’t there, obviously,” McCarthy said on Mar. 17. “But he’s playing a harder game. He’s getting on the inside. He’s competing on loose pucks more so than I felt than in the beginning of the year. I actually feel like he’s taking steps in the right direction.”
There have been a couple of examples of a better all-around game at the…