In a bold move just before the trade moratorium, the New Jersey Devils have acquired veteran center Nick Bjugstad from the St. Louis Blues, sending shockwaves through the hockey world. But here’s where it gets controversial: the Devils traded away young center Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick in return. Is this a smart long-term play or a desperate gamble? Let’s dive in.
The trade, announced just under the wire before the Olympic break freeze, saw the Blues secure the latest of the three fourth-round picks the Devils own (courtesy of the Devils, Stars, and Jets). Meanwhile, New Jersey reassigned forward Juho Lammikko to the AHL’s Utica Comets in a corresponding move. With only 12 days between the freeze and the trade deadline, this deal marks one of the few significant transactions in an otherwise quiet week—aside from the Islanders’ earlier maneuvers.
Bjugstad’s season has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. The 33-year-old has battled injuries throughout his 14-year NHL career, and this season was no exception. An upper-body injury sidelined him for nearly a month in December and January, adding to his struggles. Despite being a semi-frequent healthy scratch before his injury, Bjugstad has managed just 35 appearances this season, tallying six goals and a single assist—his lowest points-per-game rate (0.20) in any season with at least 25 games played.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Bjugstad’s defensive game has remained solid, and he found success centering the Blues’ fourth line alongside Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko. That trio dominated with a 54.2% expected goals rate, despite consistently starting in the defensive zone. He’s also excelled in the faceoff circle, winning 51.1% of his draws—above his career average of 49%.
For the Blues, languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference, this trade makes sense. They’re offloading a tertiary piece for future assets, even though Bjugstad isn’t a pending free agent. He’s under contract through next season at a $1.75MM cap hit after signing a two-year, $3.5MM deal last summer.
But here’s the head-scratcher: Why are the Devils, who aren’t faring much better in the standings, adding to their roster instead of subtracting? The answer likely lies in their fading playoff hopes. Bjugstad is seen as a cost-effective fourth-line solution for next season, addressing their glaring center depth issues. With Jack Hughes missing significant time, the Devils have leaned heavily on injury-prone players like Cody Glass, while their current fourth line (Lammikko, Luke Glendening, and Maxim Tsyplakov) has managed just one goal all season. Bjugstad, despite his struggles, is a proven goal-scorer compared to that trio.
Now, let’s talk about Thomas Bordeleau. Once a highly touted second-round pick by the Sharks in 2020, his development has stalled. After a 38-point AHL season last year, he failed to crack the NHL lineup in San Jose. As a restricted free agent, he opted not to re-sign with the Sharks, eventually landing with the Devils. But his trade value has plummeted after a disastrous season in Utica, where he’s managed just two goals and eight points in 35 games with a -13 rating. His inclusion in this deal is largely to give the Devils breathing room under the 50-contract limit.
And this is the part most people miss: Lammikko’s reassignment to Utica was seamless because he had already cleared waivers on January 17, giving the Devils a 30-day window to make the move without further complications. The 30-year-old has been a minimal contributor in New Jersey, tallying just two assists in 24 games with limited ice time.
Podcaster and former NHLer Jordan Schmaltz broke the news of the trade, while Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the specifics of the return.
So, what do you think? Is this trade a savvy move by the Devils to shore up their center depth, or are they overpaying for a declining veteran? And for the Blues, is this a smart way to build for the future, or are they giving up too soon on a player who still has something left in the tank? Let us know in the comments—this one’s sure to spark debate!
